SR0401 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0401 LRB101 12311 MST 60140 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, When a person is losing blood, every minute counts, and the Stop the Bleed campaign of the American College of Surgeons is informing Americans about vital measures to aid trauma victims; and

WHEREAS, The initiative was created in the wake of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School; the American College of Surgeons convened senior health care and public safety leaders to produce a program that will improve survival for victims suffering from bleeding injuries, and their review led to the development of the Stop the Bleed campaign; and

WHEREAS, Because a trauma victim can bleed to death within five minutes, before professional emergency care arrives, the program teaches citizens bleeding-control methods developed by the military and first responders to help citizens become immediate responders; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 45 million Americans lack access to an appropriate trauma center within one hour of being injured; ensuring access to trauma care requires many crucial components, and steps must be taken to ensure that our trauma centers, trauma medical staff, and first responders have the resources and skills they need to ensure the best possible chance of survival for the injured patient; and

WHEREAS, Stop the Bleed also provides kits that include such tools as tourniquets, dressings, and topical hemostatic agents to help bystanders offer swift assistance at the scene of a mass casualty or other incident; and

WHEREAS, These trauma kits can be affixed to walls in public places, much like the cardiac defibrillators with which most modern buildings are furnished; and

WHEREAS, The Stop the Bleed campaign is empowering citizens across the country to save lives in situations when time is of the absolute essence; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 15, 2019 as "Stop the Bleed Day" in the State of Illinois and encourage all citizens to participate in the initiative and learn more about the importance of bleeding control measures.