In an emergency, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) and follow instructions from local officials first.
Ready Survival Kits

Essentials

Severe bleeding

The first steps for life-threatening bleeding while help is on the way, and where to get trained.

By The Ready TeamExpert review: pendingSources checked 29 October 2026

Quick card · Severe bleedingSources checked 29 Oct 2026

During

  • Call 911 (or 999 in the UK) and get a first aid kit. 1
  • Put a dressing on the wound and press firmly and steadily, directly on it. Keep pressing until the bleeding stops or a tourniquet is available. 1
  • Life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg: apply a tourniquet if you're trained. 1
  • Bleeding from the neck, shoulder, groin, scalp or back: pack the wound if you're trained. 1

What to have

  • Tourniquet 1
  • Hemostatic dressing 1
  • Gloves and pressure dressings 1

Get trained

A tourniquet and wound packing work best in trained hands. The American Red Cross runs First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) training and an online severe-bleeding course. 2 A short course is one of the most useful things a household can do.

This card covers only the first steps from the Red Cross. 1 A fuller wound-care guide, built from peer-reviewed research, is in progress.

Sources

  1. American Red Cross, Life-Threatening External Bleeding
  2. American Red Cross, First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) training