Crossing the line separating Indiana and Illinois sometimes means dealing with different laws and customs. Readers are asked to share ideas for this weekly feature. This week: Stop the bleed.
With mass shootings continuing to be a disturbingly regular occurrence across America, both Illinois and Indiana are participating in a national campaign, known as Stop The Bleed, to train and equip bystanders to aid bleeding victims before professional help arrives.
Earlier this month, Illinois distributed to every school some 7,000 Stop The Bleed kits, containing a combat tourniquet, QuikClot dressing, emergency trauma dressing, mask, gloves, trauma shears, permanent marker and an instruction card.
"Our top priority will always be preventing violence from occurring, but we must also be prepared for worst case scenarios," said Alicia Tate-Nadeau, director of Illinois emergency management. "Stop The Bleed kits and the training that comes along with them can save lives."
Hoosier lawmakers in April similarly directed Indiana schools to acquire Stop the Bleed kits and to train school personnel on their use.
However, no money was appropriated by the General Assembly to pay for the kits or the training.
