Bleeding Control for the Injured (B-Con)

This class is an ADAVANCED curriculum that provides National Certification

Bleeding Control for the Injured (B-Con) teaches participants the basic life-saving medical interventions, including bleeding control with a tourniquet, bleeding control with gauze packs or topical hemostatic agents, and opening an airway to allow a casualty to breathe. The course is designed for NON-tactical law enforcement officers, firefighters, security personnel, teachers and other civilians requiring this basic training.

The Bleeding Control for the Injured (B-Con) course was developed by NAEMT’s PHTLS Committee with leadership provided by Dr. Peter Pons and Dr. Norman McSwain.

The course was developed in response to efforts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services to increase collaboration between law enforcement, the fire service and EMS in responding to active shooter/IED/mass casualty events. B-Con is consistent with the recommendations of the Hartford Consensus on Improving Survival from Active Shooter Events. The Hartford Consensus recommends that an integrated active shooter response should include the critical actions contained in the acronym THREAT:

Threat

Hemorrhage control

Rapid Extrication to safety

Assessment by medical providers

Transport to definitive care

The Hartford Consensus Group recommends that the response to a traumatic incident, whether involving an active shooter or some other cause of injury, in fact begins with bystander response. It is with this in mind that the B-Con course was developed and is now being offered.

This new 2½-hour course teaches participants the basic life-saving medical interventions, including bleeding control with a tourniquet, bleeding control with gauze packs or topical hemostatic agents, and opening an airway to allow a casualty to breathe. The course is designed for NON tactical law enforcement officers, firefighters, security personnel, teachers and other civilians requiring this basic training. Course materials include a PowerPoint presentation and instructor notes, instructor’s guide, and skill station guide.

If applicable, a separate PowerPoint module is available in the course materials specifically for law enforcement participants.  This module provides an orientation to the content of the Hartford Consensus and the changing approach to active shooter and other complex and hazardous responses.

At the completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the rationale for early use of a tourniquet for life-threatening extremity bleeding.
• Demonstrate the appropriate application of a tourniquet to the arm and leg.
• Describe the progressive strategy for controlling hemorrhage.
• Describe appropriate airway control techniques and devices.
• Demonstrate the correct application of a topical hemostatic dressing (combat gauze).