Students learn life-saving techniques during trauma situations

WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Over and over again, Action News has covered one tragedy after another from traffic accidents to gun violence.

And many times, a child is bleeding to death, and nobody around knows what to do.

Cameron Livingston of West Philadelphia said, "I see this happen to all these black teens, such as myself, and I don't want to see it anymore."

More often the patient bleeds to death before the authorities arrive.

Penn Trauma Surgeon Dr. Jeremy Cannon said, "We need to stop the bleeding before the paramedics, before the police even arrive."

Dr. Cannon and his colleagues at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania are doing something about it.

In an extraordinary pilot program, Penn medical professionals are teaching high school students from West Philadelphia what to do if they see someone lying there bleeding.

"I have seen a lot of gun violence, I've seen unfortunately too many patients come into the hospital and not make it," said Dr. Cannon.

He is bringing life-saving skills he learned on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan to the streets of Philadelphia where gun violence has ravaged communities.

Cameron lost his cousin to gun violence.

"I wanna do something about it, instead of just standing there yelling about it, I wanna do something," he said.

Skie Jackson of West Philadelphia said, "If I just see anyone who needs help, I would just really like to know what to do."

The skills these students are learning here could one day make the difference in whether someone lives or dies.

"If they have the knowledge and the tools to act, they'll feel much more empowered," Dr. Cannon said.

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