'It gets real:' Kids as young as 6 trained to treat gunshot wounds in local neighborhood

Because of the gun violence in Durham, some residents – including children – are learning how to treat gunshot victims.

The training was requested by the resident council president at the McDougald Terrace public housing complex.

Ashley Canady, a mom of four, hadn't lived at McDougald Terrace long when she realized shootings were common.

So she got first aid and CPR certified – and she has already used that training in response to real-life emergencies, rendering aid to people who had been shot.

"I’ve done it twice. I’ve done it twice out here," she said. "It gets real."

She says in the minutes until EMS arrives, perhaps residents can now step in to help save a life.

Canady says the shootings are why she worked with the City of Durham to get a first aid training program at McDougald Terrace – through a national partnership with a group called "Stop the Bleed."

During a training that happened a few weeks ago, she said adults and even children learned life-saving skills, including her 6-year-old.

"It makes me really sad," she said. "But it also makes me happy that the kids are eager to learn, because they want to save people. It can go both ways. But I try to find the good in it."

How did Canady explain to her child why this training was necessary?

"A lot of the kids know," she said. "They want the gun violence to stop."

She says the kids have a passion for helping people, and they feel empowered by having knowledge on how to help in case someone is shot.

Mark Lockhart, Chief Paramedic for Durham County EMS, says having people trained to take action is a huge help for paramedics.

His team helped provide some of the training, which he says is useful not just for shootings, but for things like car crashes and natural disasters.

"Regardless of the cause, that can make a difference," he said. "Just in the first five minutes."

Given the nation's current climate and increase in active shooter incidents, EMS employees say it's helpful for people to be prepared to help others.

Canady says she hopes to have more "Stop the Bleed" training sessions at McDougald Terrace – and that there's been a lot of interest from the community.