SIH donates multiple Stop the Bleed Kits to one southern Ill. school

HARRISBURG, Ill. (KFVS) - If an emergency were to happen at school, it’s important to be prepared in nearly every way possible.

One health care group is helping a southern Illinois school do just that.

The well-being of students at Harrisburg Middle School is always top of mind for school nurse Emily Wells.

While a normal day for her is treating minor bumps and scrapes, the Stop the Bleed Kits that were donated from Southern Illinois Healthcare will help Wells and the staff prepare for much worse injuries.

“In the event that we would have either a natural disaster or an intruder drill I would like each classroom to have a kit that would have medical supplies that could be utilized if needed,” said Wells.

All 25 classrooms throughout the building are now equipped with these potentially life-saving kits.

Southern Illinois Healthcare donated the supplies after nurse Wells reached out to them. According to Arien Herrmann, manager of the SIH Office of EMS and Disaster Preparedness, the kits includes some basic supplies and more.

“It’s going to have some basic supplies. Flashlights, snacks, things to keep the kids occupied if there would be some sort of crisis taking place at the school. But it’s also going to include a Tourniquets and then a pressure dressing,” said Herrmann.

Herrmann said he knows how crucial kits like these are. He has served as a pandemic overseas.

“I’ve had unfortunately the opportunity to treat a lot of life-threatening bleeding over the years and if not properly mitigated someone will die within minutes if they have a severe hemorrhage,” said Herrmann.

For SIH Director of Community Health Angie Bailey, she hopes this puts an extra sense of security for the students and staff who walk these halls.

“In our area we just want the kids to be safe, happy, feel comfortable, healthy. So having these kits and these supplies help the teachers, help the classrooms, the school nurse, just that whole committee be ready and in case of an emergency,” said Bailey.

Leaders at SIH say they are looking to help train more schools on the Stop the Bleed Kits.

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