Bleed Control Kits

Yes, in a growing number of states. Texas, California, Virginia, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Washington have enacted laws requiring bleed control kits in public schools. Federal guidance from OSHA and DHS's Stop the Bleed program strongly recommends them in every school regardless of state law. Check your state's current emergency preparedness legislation for specific requirements.

A tourniquet is a constricting device applied tightly around a limb to stop blood flow to a wound. Windlass tourniquets (CAT, SAM XT, and SOF-T are the three industry standards) use a strap-and-rod mechanism that can be tightened with one hand. When applied correctly two to three inches above the wound site, a windlass tourniquet stops arterial bleeding within seconds and can be maintained until EMS arrives.

QuikClot is gauze impregnated with kaolin, a naturally occurring mineral that activates the body's clotting cascade on contact with blood. It is used to pack deep wounds where a tourniquet cannot be applied (neck, shoulder, groin, axilla). QuikClot hemostatic gauze is included in the Curaplex Advanced Stop the Bleed Kit and is the hemostatic dressing recommended by both the military and the American College of Surgeons for life-threatening bleeding from non-compressible wounds.

Basic kits include a tourniquet, compressed gauze, trauma dressing, gloves, and a marker. Intermediate kits add extra gauze and upgraded dressings. Advanced kits add QuikClot hemostatic gauze and chest seals, and conform to OSHA requirements and the ANSI Z308.1 B.1 standard for hemorrhage control. Advanced kits are recommended wherever the risk of penetrating trauma is elevated.

Individual compact kits can sometimes share wall space with a deep AED cabinet, but the recommended approach is to mount the Curaplex Stop the Bleed Metal Wall Cabinet directly beside the AED cabinet, creating a side-by-side emergency response station. This prevents confusion between cardiac and bleeding emergencies occurring simultaneously, which can happen in mass-casualty events.

A Stop the Bleed-trained person can open the kit, identify the tourniquet, apply it, and tighten to bleeding cessation in under sixty seconds. An untrained person following in-kit visual guides can complete tourniquet application in two to three minutes. Kits are designed for one-hand access with the tourniquet placed on top for immediate retrieval.

QuikClot hemostatic gauze and sterile dressings typically carry two to five-year expiration dates printed on individual packaging. Windlass tourniquets (CAT, SAM XT, SOF-T) do not expire but should be inspected annually for strap integrity and windlass function. Nitrile gloves should be replaced if packaging is compromised. Total AEDs recommends a monthly readiness check aligned with your AED inspection schedule.

Yes. The Curaplex 4-Pack configurations already provide per-kit savings. For larger fleet orders across school districts, multi-site businesses, hospital systems, or government agencies, call (855) 286-6384 or email [email protected] for custom volume pricing.