AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin first responders on Thursday held a safety training for multiple businesses ahead of this weekend’s City of Austin Pride Festival and Parade, expected to bring thousands downtown.

The Austin Police Department, Austin-Travis County EMS and Austin Fire Department hosted a combined Stop the Bleed and Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events, or CRASE, training on Thursday for multiple LGBTQ+ businesses ahead of the celebrations.

Organizers said the training empowers businesses and employees to help minimize the loss of life if tragedy strikes.

“The purpose of this training is to add minutes, add time to that life, add time to allow us to be able to respond and to add other resources, to be able to allow someone to receive as immediate of a response as possible,” said APD Sgt. Michael Crumrine with APD, the president of the Lesbian and Gay Peace Officers Association.

According to a release about the training, ATCEMS and AFD began teaching Stop the Bleed classes in January after a small group of paramedics and firefighters who are part of the LGBTQ+ community fielded concerns from other community members following the November 2022 mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado. 

Soon after, officers from APD joined the effort, adding their knowledge and expertise in teaching CRASE classes, and all three agencies began offering the combined training. Thursday was the 12th Stop the Bleed class and the third combined with CRASE. The effort has trained more than 300 community members in 2023, the release said.

The training was possible because of funding and coordination from the Lesbian and Gay Peace Officers Association, which donated 10 large Stop the Bleed kits to LGBTQ+ bars and clubs. The kits are designed to “enable users to take swift and effective action during traumatic incidents, complementing the skills acquired through the training,” per the release.

The City of Austin and The Austin Pride Foundation will host its 33rd Austin Pride Parade Saturday beginning at 8 p.m., and several events are happening Friday night.