SAN BENITO — San Benito teachers and personnel are receiving basic first responder training to help assist in crisis situations.
Training is part of the Stop the Bleed Campaign, an initiative by the American College of Surgeons and Hartford Consensus that aims to provide civilians with the knowledge to help in emergencies.
The goal of the campaign is to make bleeding control techniques as common knowledge as CPR.
SBCISD student services director Ray Saldana said the training is part of the crisis planning the district implemented in response to the various threats the district was receiving.
“It was very imperative for our school district and crisis planning,” Saldana said.
Saldana said the district is constantly seeking ways to enhance their crisis response strategies.
“The challenge before us is to maximize our emergency preparedness for the safety of our SBCISD students and staff,” Saldana said.
A grant from the Department of Homeland Security has allowed the district to provide training to middle school and high school personnel and the district police.
The district held its first on-campus training at Berta Cabaza Middle School Monday for select school personnel.
South Texas Emergency Care supervisor Pete Moreno directed the training.
“Our teachers, custodians and administrators are the first responders in the case of tragic events,” Saldana said.
In addition, half of the nursing staff was sent to Valley Baptist Medical Center to receive training.
“Our goal is to train as many school personnel,” Saldana said.
Saldana said training for the rest of the district staff will be held throughout the month.
According to bleedingcontrol.org, victims of deadly wounds can die from uncontrolled bleeding within five to 10 minutes.
The district is currently looking at costs for kits that contain materials needed to stop bleeding such as compression bandages, lightweight tourniquets and gauze.
Saldana said he is looking for the best practice in providing these kits and strategically placing them around campus.