Morganton, NC – Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022
UNC Health Blue Ridge, in partnership with Burke County Public Schools, has provided compact trauma kits for each school in the district. The kits are equipped with tourniquets, compression bandages and special gauze to prevent excessive blood loss.
“We felt compelled to help with the purchase of these kits for our schools,” said Drew Thomas, Chief Ambulatory Officer and VP of the Medical Group. “These kits can be used if a child gets hurt in any situation, like playing sports or in an active shooter setting. We hope school personnel never have to use these, but it gives us peace of mind to know each school has one and can respond as quickly as possible in the event of life-threatening bleeding. A few seconds can be the difference between life and death.”
Thomas and VP of Nursing Barry Nelson recently stopped by Mountain View Elementary to present the kits to Burke County Schools Superintendent Mike Swan, Assistant Superintendent Karen Auton, Board Chair Wendi Craven, Board Vice Chair Aaron Johnson and Nursing Director Miranda Michaels.
Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan said, “As we approach the start of a new school year, the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas at the end of last school year is still fresh on everyone’s minds. The trauma kits that we will be able to purchase with this generous donation from UNC Health Blue Ridge, plus voluntary training our faculty and staff will go through could make a life or death difference. We hope we never have to use the kits or the training, but we want to be proactive instead of reactive. The scope of use for these kits and valuable training can go beyond active shooter situations and include any catastrophic event, such as a bleacher collapse, a tornado or a shop class accident. We are grateful to UNC Health Blue Ridge for the gift and for Burke County EMS for the practical training. Because of these great community partnerships we can be more prepared for any event.”
The school system started training personnel on using the kits on Monday.
The kits, contained in a nylon carry bag, provide easy-to-use tools that are proven to help to save lives. Also included are step-by-step illustrated “just in time” instructions, so even untrained providers can help save a life.
Kit includes:
1 C-A-T Tourniquet
1 Emergency Trauma Dressing
2 Rolls of Compressed Gauze Dressing
2 Pair Nitrile Gloves
1 Pair Trauma Shears
1 Permanent Marker
1 Just in Time Instruction Card
1 PVC Bleeding Control Patch