ISLE OF WIGHT, Va. (WAVY) – Two Smithfield High School students have a goal to increase the chance of survival during a shooting, or any violent event, that could potentially happen in their school system.

“I saw the shootings that were happening around America, and I saw that they were getting closer, especially with Richneck not too long ago,” said Ethan Swartz, a rising senior at Smithfield High School.

Swartz wants to be ready to help should the school shootings plaguing the nation hit his beloved Smithfield High School.

“It’s sad that we have to do this, but it is something that is necessary because there is a real threat.”

So, the rising senior did some research, and learned about Stop the Bleed kits.

“These bleeding control kids, especially Stop the Bleed program, has been used since Desert Storm to apply dressing to wounded, wounded soldiers in battle. They’ve saved countless lives on the battlefield, and I thought we should bring them to the schools, and I found these kits on Amazon which are $45,” said Swartz.

He teamed up with family friend, and fellow Junior ROTC member, Kadence DiStefano, to get the kits in Smithfield High School and begin training for the entire Smithfield Junior ROTC program.

“The ultimate goal is to have one in every classroom, every hallway, in the gym, in the cafeteria, the offices, and just anywhere that something might go wrong,” said Distefano, a rising Junior at Smithfield High School.

The Stop the Bleed kits are small, sealed boxes, packed with the essentials to help those trained give victims more time. You’ll find tourniquets, blankets, gloves, compressed gauze, and more inside. The training kit includes two foam rolls with several types of fake wounds.

“So here we have the bullet wound, and on the other side we have the exit wound, and like a stab wound,” said Swartz pointing to the wounds on one of the foam rolls.

He demonstrated how you can quickly pack a wound with compressed gauze.

“If paramedics were not available at that time, this alone would probably be enough to save somebody’s life,” said Swartz.

After an hour and a half of training, several Smithfield High School teachers are now qualified to Stop the Bleed.

“Within two days we had about 100 JROTC cadets trained in Stop the Bleed which, spread across the entire school, puts basically a kid who is trained in Stop the Bleed in every classroom.”

While these two students want to see Stop the Bleed kits in all classrooms in Isle of Wight County, they want it to be even more far-reaching.

“I’m looking for this to be a state, possibly country-wide thing,” said Swartz.

Swartz and DiStefano hope to get more financial donations so they can buy the kits.

“We have gotten a grant here, and we have had 25 kits donated by the Lions Club, and then another couple donated by my grandparents which I was greatly appreciative of.”

The Smithfield High School principal also donated. It’s a lot of work, but Swartz says he knows it will make a difference.

“If it saves one life it’s worth every penny.”

If you would like to donate to help Swartz and DiStefano reach their goal, click here.