A 21-Year-Old Saw a Deadly Gap in Emergency Care- Now the Device Is Used Nationwide

Boca Raton, FL - February 9, 2026 - What started as an idea from a 21-year-old inventor has become a national movement around bleeding control and training accessibility for anyone, and is now actively stopping bleeds across the United States.

AutoTQ, an automatic tourniquet designed to help everyday people control severe bleeding quickly and correctly, is now used nationwide across construction sites, manufacturing facilities, schools, transportation systems, and public spaces. The device was conceptualized by Hannah Herbst after she identified a critical gap in emergency response: in real emergencies, the first person on the scene is almost never a first responder- it is a bystander. 

Herbst founded Golden Hour Medical in 2021 to address the reality that traditional tourniquets are difficult to use correctly under stress, particularly for bystanders. She partnered with Devin Willis, Engineering Director, Nicholas Liautaud, Mechanical Engineer, and a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, paramedics, first responders, and engineers to develop a solution that could guide users through bleeding control automatically- reducing hesitation, removing guesswork, and helping people act when seconds matter most.

AutoTQ uses automated pneumatic compression and built-in audio instructions to walk users step-by-step through stopping extremity bleeding. The FDA-registered device is assembled in the United States and designed for environments where immediate medical care may be more than 90 seconds away.

Since its launch, AutoTQ has been adopted across dozens of industries and is now used nationwide in real-world emergencies to control hemorrhage before professional responders arrive. AutoTQ is the only tourniquet that includes open-sourced online training to anyone willing to help in an emergency, part of their mission to empower any willing bystander to stop the bleed. 

“It is surreal to hear from people across so many industries who are more empowered in emergencies because of AutoTQ,” said Hannah Herbst, Founder and CEO of Golden Hour Medical. “I am grateful to everyone who believed in this idea, and to see it now used in the field is incredibly meaningful.”

Uncontrolled bleeding remains one of the leading causes of preventable death after injury. AutoTQ is part of a broader effort to close the gap between injury and care by empowering bystanders- not just medics - to take immediate action.

Golden Hour Medical continues to expand AutoTQ’s nationwide deployment while advancing research, education, and training initiatives focused on bleeding control accessibility.

About Golden Hour Medical
Golden Hour Medical, Inc. is a U.S.-based medical device company focused on expanding access to emergency care. The company developed AutoTQ to empower anyone, anywhere, to stop severe bleeding in the moments that matter most.

Media Contact:
Gabriella Martinez
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