Dade County Street Response teaches residents to treat gunshot wounds (includes video story)

Local organization Dade County Street Response held its first “Stop the Bleed” workshop of the year last month at the Roots Collective house in Liberty City, where they taught residents to deal with gunshot wounds and conduct CPR.

The event was part of a campaign created by the American College of Surgeons, and was led by Dr. Armen Henderson of the University of Miami Health System. He’s been working with the Miami chapter of the Dream Defenders as the director of health programs to bring a trauma recovery center to the county. The group plans to host one or two of these events every month.

Henderson, who completed his residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital, also taught attendees the basics of human anatomy, tips for calling 911 about a gunshot victim and the social determinants of health in relation to gun violence. They specifically target violence-stricken neighborhoods like Liberty City, where two people died in a drive-by shooting in February.

“I think — instead of spending money on police and prisons — we should be spending more money on social programs,” Henderson said. “This is only a bandaid for a much larger problem.”

Throughout the pandemic, Henderson also offered medical services to homeless people around the county. He made headlines when he was arrested in front of his home while loading his van with supplies.

Samantha Morell loves to write, draw, take pictures, dance and travel. These are interests she aims to incorporate in her career and lifestyle. She is studying journalism and philosophy at FIU because she believes both subjects make her receptive to new information, as she hopes to always be learning.