Luna’s TrueClot® Line Provides an Affordable, Realistic Training Experience to Support Obama Administration and NAEMT Training Initiatives

Michael J. Danilich, PhD Director of Research, Technology Development Division

On Tuesday, October 6, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched “Stop the Bleed,” a campaign to provide ordinary citizen bystanders with the tools and know-how to stop life-threatening bleeding in the event of an emergency. As stated on the "Stop The Bleed" website, "no matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene. A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, therefore it is important to quickly stop the blood loss." Indeed, in the aftermath of incidents such as the Boston Marathon bombing, the shooting at the Washington Navy Yard and the devastating tornado in Joplin, Missouri, civilians attempted to stop bleeding and save lives using belts, shirts and scarves. The goals of the “Stop the Bleed” initiative are (1) to educate the general public in the simple steps that can be taken to stop or slow life threatening bleeding, and (2) to promote access to Bleeding Control Kits in public spaces and in the home. As public training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and access to automatic electronic defibrillators (AEDs) has increased, lives have been saved.  Similarly, improving public awareness about how to stop severe bleeding and expanding public access to bleeding control equipment can be the difference between life and death for an injured person. In response to efforts by DHS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) developed a new training course called “Bleeding Control for the Injured” or “B-Con.” The new 2½ hour B-Con course is designed for non-tactical law enforcement officers, firefighters, security personnel, teachers and everyday civilians. Proficiency in life-saving techniques, such as bleeding control, often depends on the realism of the training. Luna’s TrueClot® line of hemorrhage control training products provides unprecedented and low-cost realism for all levels of bleeding control training, from B-Con for civilians to Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) for combat medics and corpsmen. As such, TrueClot® is poised to support the Administration and NAEMT initiatives by providing enhanced hands-on skill station resources. In particular, Luna’s TrueClot® hemorrhage control task trainers provide a simple, cost-effective, easy-to-use, affordable and durable platform for wound packing demonstration and training. TrueClot® Blood Simulant looks, feels and behaves like human blood, but washes cleanly from skin and clothing with soap and water. Luna’s TrueClot® products can be used to simulate dynamic clotting for training in the use of hemostatic dressings expected to be stocked in public access Bleeding Control Kits. Rapid and well-trained bystander response during mass casualty events is certain to result in saved lives. Luna is pleased to support the important and timely bleeding control initiatives by DHS and NAEMT.  For more information on TrueClot®, please visit www.trueclot.com, email [email protected] or call 434-972-9950.