Z-Medica, a Wallingford company that makes medical clotting products, said this week it is launching a campaign to convince school officials to put a bleeding control kit in every school in the state.
Z-Medica CEO Eric Compton said the kits, which help control bleeding until medical personnel arrives, can save lives not only during instances of school violence, but in the case of traumatic injuries in shop class, gym or on the playground.
Citing trauma experts, Z-Medica said around 40 percent of trauma deaths worldwide are related to bleeding, yet it is one of the most preventable causes of death if injuries are treated quickly.
“No one, especially our children, should die from uncontrolled bleeding; we can prepare our schools,” Compton said in a statement.
In 2014, the Wallingford school district participated in a pilot program with Z-Medica to equip its schools with the company’s QuikClot Bleeding Control bags.
The bags included enough wound dressings with clotting agents, tourniquets, gloves and pressure dressings to treat up to 10 injuries.
Z-Medica and the Stop the Bleed Initiative are launching the statewide campaign to mark National Stop the Bleed Day on Saturday, when state and regional organizations will be offering free training on treating severe bleeding in an emergency.
The company said it would release additional details about the schools program in coming weeks.
Natalie Missakian can be reached at news@newhavenbiz.com
