The First Minutes Save Lives!
Equipping schools with the knowledge and supplies needed to respond during the critical first minutes of a LockDown.
Empowering Teachers, Staff & Students to Respond During a Life-Threatening Emergency.
During a school lockdown or other emergency, emergency medical services (EMS) may be unable to reach victims suffering from life-threatening, uncontrolled bleeding until law enforcement deems the scene safe—a delay that can last for hours. Many school bleeding-control programs rely on kits stored in common areas outside classrooms, making them inaccessible to those sheltering in place. Additionally, these programs often train only a limited number of staff members, creating another critical barrier to lifesaving intervention. When every minute counts, immediate access to trained personnel and essential bleeding-control supplies can mean the difference between life and death.
The First Minute Project is dedicated to equipping every classroom with lifesaving bleeding-control supplies and ensuring that every school teacher, staff member, and select students receive the training necessary to respond to life-threatening bleeding emergencies while sheltering in place.
Through education, preparedness, and the strategic placement of essential medical supplies, we empower schools and communities to provide immediate, lifesaving intervention when the first minutes count—bridging the gap until professional emergency medical care can safely reach those in need.
A Statewide Network of Professional Trainers
Professional Training
The First Minute Project partners with hospitals and EMS agencies across Colorado to ensure our training is delivered by highly qualified, experienced professionals.
Our instructors understand that bleeding emergencies can be a sensitive subject. That's why our training is designed to be informative, supportive, and appropriate for the audience. We do not use graphic images, videos, or disturbing materials. Our professional trainers can tailor each session to accommodate the age, experience, comfort level, and preferences of the participants while ensuring everyone learns the essential lifesaving skills.
Whether you're a rural district or an urban campus, our statewide network of instructors makes it possible to bring high-quality training to every staff member and participating student, close to home. Training sessions can typically be completed in about one hour, even when training dozens of participants at a time.
âś” Qualified, experienced instructors
âś” Sensitive, non-graphic training
âś” Customized to the audience and its preferences
âś” Flexible scheduling
âś” Scalable for entire districts
âś” Training provided at no cost
Professional-Grade Tourniquets & Supplies
Quality Supplies. No Compromises.
When a life is on the line, equipment needs to work. The First Minute Project provides only the essential, professional-grade bleeding-control supplies trusted by EMS, law enforcement, and the military.
Through our supplier partnerships, we secure professional-grade supplies at significantly reduced costs, allowing us to equip more classrooms without sacrificing quality.
We provide only the essential supplies needed to control life-threatening bleeding, keeping costs down while maintaining professional standards. Unlike companies that use inexpensive imported products, we don't gamble with people's lives. Our supplies meet the standards trusted by EMS, law enforcement, and the military.
✔ CAT® (Combat Application Tourniquets) — Made in the USA and widely used by military and emergency professionals.
✔ 100% cotton gauze — Designed specifically for effective wound packing.
✔ Trauma shears — Professional-grade shears that meet industry standards for emergency use.
Every Classroom Equipped
Prepared Classrooms
During a lockdown, first responders cannot immediately reach every classroom. Depending on the circumstances, it can take several minutes up to several hours before EMS can reach a victim in lockdown.
The First Minute Project ensures all trained staff have immediate access to lifesaving equipment where it matters most—inside the classroom.
Because when every minute matters, having the training and supplies readily available will save lives!
What Separates Us
Non-profit. Not Profit-Driven
The First Minute Project takes a different approach to school emergency preparedness. Our focus is not on selling products or promoting a specific system, it’s on making essential lifesaving equipment and training accessible in every classroom. We believe schools shouldn’t have to rely on expensive, one-size-fits-all solutions to be prepared for the first critical minutes of an emergency.
We are concerned parents, educators, and community members working to empower school staff and students.
Here is what people had to say about our bleeding control training…..
“I had no idea how easy it is to apply a tourniquet. I feel confident now using a tourniquet”
“The training was empowering!”
“The trainers were experienced, professional, and the training was quicker than expected!”
"I was concerned the training might be emotionally difficult for some staff, but everyone found it informative, engaging, and empowering. I am grateful knowing our school staff are now trained on how to respond to an emergency."
Our Partners
Supporting Safer Schools. Saving Lives!
Visit our Sponsors & Partners page to learn more about how they support our mission to create safer schools and save lives.
Training Beyond the Classroom
The First Minute Project does more than support schools. We also partner with municipalities, churches, colleges, businesses, and other organizations to bring bleeding control training and equipment to their facilities.
While our primary focus is creating safer learning environments for children, we recognize the importance of making these lifesaving programs accessible throughout the entire community.
Contact us to discuss your organization's needs, and let's work together to equip your people and your spaces with the training and resources needed to respond when every minute counts.
FAQ:
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Bleeding control training teaches participants how to recognize and respond to life-threatening bleeding before professional help arrives. It includes learning to apply a tourniquet for severe bleeding on an arm or leg, and packing deep wounds with gauze to help control bleeding when a tourniquet isn't appropriate.
Watch tutorial video here:
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Our professional network of bleeding control trainers can train both small and large groups in as little as one hour. We can coordinate with your school to provide training for all staff members in a single session, regardless of the size of your staff.
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Our network of professional trainers can come directly to you. Training can be conducted in your school’s gymnasium or another nearby facility if you prefer a location off campus.
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We recommend annual refresher training to help maintain confidence and proficiency. However, refresher training every two years is also acceptable.
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For school staff members who missed the training, or were hired after the initial group training, we recommend that the school nurse provide one-on-one training for new employees or small-group training if multiple staff members are hired at the same time.
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Yes! We highly recommend offering bleeding control training to students of an appropriate age on a voluntary basis. The more people trained within a school, the more effective the bleeding control program becomes.
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Our kits include the following:
2 x CAT Gen5 or Gen7 Tourniquets
4 x Sterile gauze rolls.
1 x Pair of trauma shears.
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The First Minute Project has partnered with a supplier to secure discounted pricing, bringing the cost of a complete kit, including 2 tourniquets, 4 rolls of gauze, and 1 pair of trauma shears, to approximately $68.00 per kit.
Learn How to Give
Make a ONE-TIME DONATION or become a MONTHLY SUPPORTERof The First Minute Project mission. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and directly helps provide schools with life-saving emergency medical supplies, training, and preparedness resources.
There are many ways to support our mission. Individuals and organizations can also becomePARTNER or SPONSOR by donating supplies, providing discounts on essential equipment, or supporting the project through corporate giving and sponsorships. Every contribution, large or small, helps us reach more schools and better prepare communities when every second counts.
Join our mission today and help create safer schools for generations to come.
Stay Connected
At The First Minute Project, we believe our supporters deserve to see the impact of their generosity. By subscribing to our monthly newsletter, you'll receive updates on the schools we're serving, lives we're helping protect, community partnerships, upcoming events, and ways you can make a difference.
Join our community and follow our mission as we work to ensure every school is prepared to save lives when every second counts.
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