Empowering Communities,
Saving Lives

About this Partnership

America's Blood Centers has formed a national partnership with ACS Stop the Bleed, a public-private initiative spearheaded by the Department of Defense and managed by the American College of Surgeons. This strategic alliance represents a significant leap forward in emergency preparedness, creating a comprehensive approach to saving lives: equipping individuals with the skills to effectively control severe bleeding in emergencies, while simultaneously emphasizing the crucial role of blood donation. This dual focus not only empowers citizens to act decisively in critical moments but also promotes a strong blood supply, helping communities become better prepared before emergencies strike. As part of this initiative, we will launch a series of activities in May 2025 during National Trauma Awareness Month in May.

May is also National Stop the Bleed Month, and National Stop the Bleed Day, designated to help individuals learn how to stop or slow bleeding in an emergency, is on May 23rd.

Did you miss our webinar?

ABC held a webinar on Friday, January 31st to discuss the specifics of this partnership and ways it can be leveraged by blood centers. You can access a recording now on CollABOrate and download the accompanying slides.

watch now

Member Benefits

America’s Blood Centers' partnership with ACS Stop the Bleed provides numerous benefits for members:

National exposure for the importance of blood donation in emergency preparedness.

A strategic tool for centers to use in gaining access to schools and school districts.

Provides an innovative way to increase educational efforts around blood donation, including building on ABC/ADRP’s successful Vein to Vein education program.

Inserts information about blood donation and the location of community blood centers into the ACS Stop the Bleed program and public materials for the first time.

Provides ABC members with contact information for local ACS Stop the Bleed leaders.

Empowers staff throughout blood centers with life-saving skills through ACS Stop the Bleed's training program, enabling them to train others in their community.

Member Case Study: The Impact of Community Blood Centers Working with Stop the Bleed

Data collected by Bloodworks Northwest shows the impact this partnership could have for ABC members:

Students who completed Stop the Bleed training through Bloodworks Northwest were 32% more likely to donate blood.
These trained individuals were 24% more likely to encourage family and friends to donate.
Participants showed a 40% higher likelihood of recommending the Stop the Bleed course to others, creating a multiplier impact that could further increase awareness about the importance of blood donation.
This partnership provides a unique opportunity to connect with students and young adults: nearly 70% of those who completed the Stop the Bleed course were 16-24 years old.

Beyond Donation: Creating Informed Advocates

To support community blood centers in developing their Stop the Bleed partnerships, Bloodworks Northwest is sharing email templates and a student project guide that they developed to use along with Stop the Bleed's documents to inspire your center to leverage this partnership in your community!

Download

Mark Your Calendars for May 2025

We encourage members to launch a comprehensive series of activities during National Trauma Awareness Month/Stop the Bleed Month as part of this partnership:

National Press Coverage: Leverage media platforms to educate the public on the importance of both immediate action and sustained support through blood donation.

Co-branded Emergency Kits: Distribute specially provided ACS Stop the Bleed/ABC kits to schools, representing your commitment to comprehensive education about emergency preparedness, including blood donation.

Community Engagement: Host joint public events like joint ACS Stop the Bleed training-blood drive events, to highlight the link between immediate and long-term lifesaving measures.

Educational Outreach: Use these resources to make strategic inroads to schools and school districts, expanding your educational footprint and building on the Vein to Vein education program.

Case Studies

Here are four implementation strategies that can be tailored to your blood centers' community needs and resources:

Joint ACS Stop the Bleed-Blood Drive Events

These events combine the educational aspects of ACS Stop the Bleed training with the practical application of blood donation. Typically held in community centers, schools, or workplaces, these events begin with a ACS Stop the Bleed training session where participants learn crucial bleeding control techniques. Following the training, attendees are encouraged to donate blood on-site.

This approach has several benefits:

It provides immediate context for the importance of blood donation
It creates a powerful emotional connection between learning life-saving skills and contributing to the blood supply
It can increase blood donation rates by capitalizing on the momentum of the training session

Example: Local media are invited to cover the event during Trauma Awareness Month, allowing them to capture compelling visuals of both blood donation and bleeding control education in action. Interviews can be arranged with key figures such as the blood center's medical director, local trauma surgeons, ACS Stop the Bleed instructors, and even trauma survivors. By showcasing the synergy between bleeding control education and blood donation, these events effectively communicate the vital link between community blood donation and trauma care.

Classroom ACS Stop the Bleed Trainings with Kit Donation

This approach focuses on bringing ACS Stop the Bleed training directly into schools, targeting students, teachers, and staff. After the training session, an ACS Stop the Bleed kit is donated to the school, ensuring that life-saving equipment is readily available in case of an emergency.

Key advantages of this method include:

Direct access to schools, which can be challenging in the post-COVID era
Creating a lasting impact by leaving behind practical resources
Building relationships with school administrators and staff

Example: A blood center can partner with a local high school to provide ACS Stop the Bleed training to a class of senior students as part of their health education curriculum. At the end of the training, an ACS Stop the Bleed kit is donated to the school, strategically placed by the school in a high-traffic area.

District-Wide ACS Stop the Bleed Training

This approach involves organizing large-scale training events that bring together teachers, administrators, and staff from multiple schools within a district. These events not only provide valuable training but also serve as a platform for blood centers to build relationships across an entire school district.

Benefits of this approach include:

Efficient use of resources by training large groups at once
Creating a consistent level of preparedness across multiple schools
Opportunities for blood centers to establish themselves as valuable community partners

Example: A blood center can collaborate with a school district to organize a district-wide ACS Stop the Bleed training day ahead of the new school year featuring staff members from multiple schools held at a central location. At the conclusion of the training, the blood center can leave behind an ACS Stop the Bleed kit, and work to schedule future blood drives at participating schools.

Quarterly Community Health Classes

This concept involves your blood center hosting quarterly ACS Stop the Bleed classes in partnership with local hospital staff that are free and open to the public as a way to not only provide valuable health education and give back to the community.

Benefits of this approach include:

Offering accessible health education to the public
Strengthening community ties and partnerships
Enhancing public health awareness and knowledge

Example: Your blood center could organize these quarterly classes that create opportunities for community members to learn about various health topics. This initiative could help build a stronger relationship with hospital partners and demonstrate your commitment to community well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about this partnership:

How do I find my local ACS Stop the Bleed contact?

The primary contact for blood centers seeking training and local ACS Stop the Bleed connections is Anna Stimac Program Coordinator, ACS Stop the Bleed Program. She can be reached at 312-202-5790 or stopthebleed@facs.org.

Anna serves as the central liaison between blood centers and the ACS Stop the Bleed program. She can provide your center with:

Information on local ACS Stop the Bleed chapters in your area
Guidelines for becoming a certified ACS Stop the Bleed instructor
Resources for implementing ACS Stop the Bleed training in your community
Updates on national ACS Stop the Bleed initiatives and best practices

This approach has several benefits:

It provides immediate context for the importance of blood donation
It creates a powerful emotional connection between learning life-saving skills and contributing to the blood supply
It can increase blood donation rates by capitalizing on the momentum of the training session

What are best practices when connecting with my local ACS Stop the Bleed contact?

Provide Anna with your blood center's information and specific location.
Ask for the contact details of ACS Stop the Bleed representatives in your area.
Once you have local contact information, schedule a meeting to discuss potential collaboration opportunities.
Before meeting, familiarize yourself with the ACS Stop the Bleed program and think about how it can complement your blood center's activities.
During the meeting, explore how your organizations can work together to enhance community preparedness and increase blood donations.
Collaborate on planning events, training sessions, or educational programs that combine ACS Stop the Bleed training with blood donation awareness.
Establish a schedule for ongoing communication to ensure the partnership remains active and effective

What is included in the ACS Stop the Bleed-ABC kits?

Can my center receive ACS Stop the Bleed kits for National Trauma Awareness Month 2025?

Can my blood center purchase ACS Stop the Bleed kits beyond May 2025?

Can my blood center put a sticker on the back of these kits?

Can my blood center use the ACS Stop the Bleed logo?

Blood centers are permitted to use the ACS Stop the Bleed logo for promoting courses, but it's important to note that the ACS Stop the Bleed logo and associated phrase are owned by the US Department of Defense.

Therefore, blood centers should refrain from using the logo for purposes other than promoting courses unless they have obtained an individual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) permitting its use. Please reach out to Anna Stimac, Program Coordinator with ACS Stop the Bleed, for further guidance on obtaining an MOU for logo usage.

How does my blood center schedule a training?

Are blood center staff eligible to become ACS Stop the Bleed Instructors?

Blood center staff who teach about blood donation may be eligible under the Organization Safety and Health Instructor category. All eligible instructors must take the lecture and skills ACS Stop the Bleed course prior to becoming an ACS Stop the Bleed instructor regardless of prior/current professions, certifications, and licensures. To complete your application effectively, be sure to include all safety and/or health courses you teach in the additional comments section of the application.

How long do most ACS Stop the Bleed courses last and what activities are included in the course?

The majority of the Stop the Bleed courses typically span no more than 90 minutes. These courses typically commence with a formal presentation, which is then followed by hands-on practice sessions that involve applying direct pressure, wound packing, and utilizing a tourniquet to control bleeding.

While the didactic portion of the course can be conducted either in-person or virtually, the in-person skills segment typically requires approximately 60 minutes to complete.

Are blood centers obligated to participate in Stop the Bleed trainings or educate others in the program?