Experiencing a shooting firsthand is scary and traumatic, and certainly a situation in which people would prefer not to be involved. The June 14 shooting at a Virginia baseball field where congressmen, their staff and friends were practicing is an excellent example of that.
Even the possibility of finding yourself a part of such a situation would make a person wonder how they would react and how they would try to help others who are injured.
Columbus North senior Ana Singhal knows the feeling, having personally experienced a similar event.
Singhal and her family were present inside the Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport on Jan. 6 when a gunman opened fire in the baggage claim area, killing five people and injuring six. Singhal said she wondered afterward what she could have done to help.
Six months later, she is taking steps to ensure that people and organizations have the tools needed to respond appropriately in such an emergency scenario.
Singhal has started an initiative to assemble and distribute trauma kits that can assist a person facing life-threatening bleeding. The kits contain tourniquets, clotting agents, gauze and pressure bandages. Through Stop the Bleed Indiana she is raising money for the kits, which cost about $50 to make.
Singhal’s effort is having success, as she’s already donated about a dozen kits to community organizations such as Mill Race Center, Westside Community Church and Community Church of Columbus.
Having such a kit available is a critical resource, similar to having an automated external defibrillator to use in case someone experiences a heart attack.
Singhal is to be commended for her initiative, especially considering that she has used a tragic event as motivation for making the trauma kits.
Singhal’s important initiative is providing a critical tool that anyone can use should the need arise and organizations should want on hand, and is worthy of support.
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Go to facebook.com/stopthebleedindiana to learn about Ana Singhal’s trauma kit effort, how to use the kit and how to support the initiative.
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