x
Breaking News
More () »

Campus police train for mass casualty situations

NEW ORLEANS -- Students aren't the only ones who went back to the classroom this week.

Some campus police officers did too, but this time, the extra education is a response to the changes in violence they face on the job.

The gunshot wounds and blood they are dealing with in the classes are not real. However, more and more first responders are facing mass battlefield-style wounds on campuses, nightclubs, and at Christmas parties.

Dozens of police officers at Tulane campuses and hospital are training to save lives during mass shootings. It's training from top trauma surgeons that goes well beyond typical first aid.

"If they can identify what's major bleeding and quickly do something about it, it can make a huge impact on that patient's ultimate outcome," explained Dr. Meg Moore, a Tulane Trauma Surgeon.

Officials believe the training is necessary.

"Just preservation of life. Just that extra tool, preservation of life being able to add minutes to somebody's life," said Errol Peters about what he appreciates about the training. He is the Supervisor of Patrol with the Tulane Police Department in the Downtown Medical District.

In just three to five minutes of an artery hit, the injured person can bleed out and die. With bleed-control techniques used by the military, victims are more likely to go home to loved ones.

"We've seen plenty of patients come in with extremity injuries from gunshot wounds, major car crashes, who bled to death without a tourniquet who could have lived and now we see patients who would have died five, 10 years ago who were saved by this," said Dr. Lance Stuke, and LSU Health Sciences Center Trauma Surgeon.

After the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the late Tulane trauma surgeon Dr. Norman McSwain and a group of medical experts saw the need to teach police and everyday people how to apply whole body weight pressure for 10 minutes and use tourniquets to give victims of mass shootings a fighting chance.

"They are appreciative of having another resource in their tool box to go to, but in the discussions I've had with our officers, they hope they never have to use it," said Jon Barnwell, Superintendent of the Tulane Police Department.

Tulane Police are also going through training sessions this week on stopping a mass shooter.

Before You Leave, Check This Out