STOP the Bleed Kits Funded for 30 SEK School Districts Through Regional Homeland Security Project

Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center (NMRMC), in partnership with the SEK Kansas Regional Homeland Security Council, is helping equip public schools in Southeast Kansas with life-saving STOP the Bleed kits. The project fund was allotted $30,000 to be distributed to SEK region school districts. There are 30 districts that will be recipients of the project.

The initial shipment included 300 tourniquets, 30 STOP the Bleed kits, and 23 wall-mounted kits stocked with critical hemorrhage control supplies. With the collaboration of regional emergency managers and members of the healthcare coalition, these supplies will be distributed to participating schools across 12 southeast Kansas counties.

Beckie Manahan, PA-C (center), pictured with USD 413 Superintendent Matt Koester (left) and Marsha Stipp, Health Director of USD 413 (right), during their visit to NMRMC to view the STOP the Bleed kits and equipment.

“Of the 30 school districts participating, only a handful currently have staff trained in hemorrhage control,” said Beckie Manahan, PA-C, Emergency Manager at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center (NMRMC). “To address this, I’ll be working directly with districts to implement a Train-the-Trainer program.”

The program is designed to educate medical professionals—such as school nurses and athletic trainers—who can then train others in their schools and communities. “With just a few instructors, thousands of people can ultimately gain this life-saving skill,” Manahan said.

STOP the Bleed and hemorrhage control training has broad, real-world applications. Accidents can happen at work, on the farm, while hunting, or even during everyday tasks like mowing the lawn. Schools, in particular, are high-traffic environments where this training can have a significant impact.