First aid and patient transport guides

How to Stop Bleeding: Direct Pressure, Pressure Bandage and When to Use a Tourniquet

For serious external bleeding, place a clean cloth directly over the wound, press firmly and without a break for at least 5 minutes, and call 112. If the cloth soaks through, add another on top without lifting the first; if the bleeding has not stopped within 10 minutes, press harder over a wider area. Raising a bleeding arm is no longer recommended. A tourniquet is used for life-threatening arm or leg bleeding that direct pressure and a pressure bandage cannot stop; write down the time and do not loosen it before the crew arrives.