500 Phoenix-area teachers learn how to respond to active shooter

PHOENIX — One hundred and fourteen people were killed or injured in 24 school shootings across the United States last year, an average of one shooting every eight school days.

These statistics from Education Week, an independent news organization that covers K-12 education, led to educators in one Phoenix-area school district to take action.

About 500 teachers and employees with the Deer Valley Unified School District gathered in Glendale on Wednesday to teach them how to respond to an active shooter situation.

The “Stop the Bleeding” training at Mountain Ridge High School taught educators to do just that — stop an injured student or fellow staff member from bleeding out after being shot.

.@PHXFire, @GlendaleFire, & @BannerHealth are educating teachers on how to properly stuff gunshot wounds and apply tourniquets during DVUSD’s Active Shooter Training today at @MRHS_DVUSD. @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/4JUmbXnAlv

— Ali Vetnar (@Ali_Vetnar) February 6, 2019

“You need to know that even though you are helping someone who has been shot, …putting a tourniquet on someone is going to inflict more pain, but it will more than likely save their life,” Tammy Eydeler with Banner Health Del Webb told KTAR News 92.3 FM. 

Eydeler led the teachers through demonstrations on how to stop bleeding quickly and safely, especially during a high-stress incident. Teachers were also taught how to properly stuff wounds with special gauze to last until medical professionals arrive.

The event was the biggest that the group ever put on. “We brought in 40 medical professionals to help instruct,” Eydeler added.

One teacher said he learned a lot from the event.

“It all was really important and I really did learn a lot from the training,” Mountain Ridge math teacher Doug Evans said.

“But it’s pretty scary that we have to learn this stuff with the world and times we live in today.”

“It’s a scary reality but as much as I don’t enjoy learning about it and how todo these type of things, I am glad I do know how.” – DVUSD Math Teacher pic.twitter.com/uV2ytDSLBi

— Ali Vetnar (@Ali_Vetnar) February 6, 2019

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