(ND Ag Connection) – Seconds can be life-changing during rural emergencies. That’s why Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension’s safety coordinator, stresses the importance of quick, skilled response to injuries. Recognizing this, NDSU Extension and the NDSU School of Nursing are now offering free ‘Stop the Bleed’ training in North Dakota’s rural areas.

‘Stop the Bleed’ is a national program that teaches folks how to handle life-threatening bleeding emergencies. During these 90-minute sessions, participants learn to spot dangerous bleeding and correctly use a tourniquet, which can be a real lifesaver when an accident causes serious bleeding.

Living in the Northern Plains means longer trips to the hospital. This training, Johnson notes, is crucial for people far from medical facilities, like farm families, workers, emergency responders, and even teens 13 and up.

Dean Gross, who leads NDSU’s nurse practitioner program, explains that their mission is nurturing nurse leaders dedicated to rural life, fulfilling NDSU’s role as a land-grant institution. This training strengthens their ties to these communities.

Interested in joining? Sign up at bit.ly/STBinterestform to know about upcoming sessions near you. But hurry, each session only has space for 10 to 12 people, and free personal ‘Stop the Bleed’ kits are up for grabs!

Emergency personnel can earn professional credits and even become certified ‘Stop the Bleed’ instructors in their hometowns.

Funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, this program underscores NDSU’s commitment to serving citizens through practical, life-saving education and research. So, let’s learn and make rural North Dakota safer for everyone!