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Patrol Car Tactical Kits – “The First Five Minutes”

BENEFITING

Huntsville Police Department, Madison Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department

Media alert: The Foundation and Huntsville Hospital will host a news conference to announce the Madison County Delegation’s grant to the Foundation and to present the tactical kits to representatives of Huntsville Police Department, Madison Police Department and Madison County Sheriff’s Department.

When: Wednesday, Aug. 20; 10 a.m.

Where: Huntsville Hospital Emergency Department Parking Garage

(adjacent to the Emergency Department entrance on Madison Street)

Media contact: Huntsville Hospital Marketing/PR, (256) 265-8317

Details: The Huntsville Hospital Emergency Department partners with numerous first responder organizations in the field—ambulance services, fire departments and police departments, just to name three. Together, these professionals care for victims facing life threatening injuries. While firefighters and EMTs are equipped with the tools and equipment needed to provide initial lifesaving care, quite often police officers are the first to arrive at the scene. In an effort to provide officers in Huntsville and Madison with the advanced first aid supplies needed to perform lifesaving procedures within those “first five minutes” before emergency medical services personnel arrive on the scene, Huntsville Hospital Foundation has received a generous grant from state senators and representatives of the Madison County Delegation to enable Huntsville Hospital’s Emergency Department to provide patrol car tactical kits for officers to utilize when treating accident victims. The kits can also be used for self-care or buddy care.

With a traumatic injury, the three leading preventable causes of death in the field are extremity hemorrhage, tension pneumothorax and airway obstruction. Basic first aid kits do not contain the supplies necessary to treat serious injuries resulting from automobile accidents, gunshots or stabbings. In particular, items such as a Celox (to stop severe arterial bleeding) and combat application tourniquets (to occlude arterial blood flow in an extremity) are essential for the treatment of life threatening injuries.

Lessons learned in the combat arena have resulted in formulation of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) protocols. Today, many law enforcement agencies are adapting TCCC guidelines. For example, in Pima County, Arizona a sheriff’s department SWAT medic recognized that deputies needed advanced first aid equipment and supplies. After researching the issue, the medic deduced that first aid kits similar to those used by combat medics could help reduce fatalities suffered by officers and accident victims—particularly in remote areas, and especially during the critical “golden hour” that is key to survival. His theory was proven on Jan. 8, 2011 in Tucson when Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others were injured in a mass shooting. At least three lives were saved that day, thanks to the deputies’ ability to utilize their tactical first aid kits at the scene of the shootings.

Due to interest expressed by several HPD officers after seeing disaster preparedness backpacks the Foundation sold as a fundraiser to hospital employees, the Foundation staff worked with Emergency Department physicians and staff to develop a similar program for the hospital’s service area. ED medical directors, Dr. Eric Greenfield and Dr. Swati Thotakura, along with Joyce Thomas, RN, who serves as the hospital’s emergency preparedness coordinator, developed a plan for patrol car tactical kits to ensure that every patrol car is equipped with the supplies needed to provide advanced first aid to victims prior to the arrival of the fire department and/or HEMSI at the scene of an accident—typically within the first five minutes. This will certainly make the job of the ED physicians and staff easier and most importantly, it will increase the chance of a positive outcome and patient recovery.

A list of supplies included in each kit is provided below:

• Combat application tourniquet (occludes arterial blood flow in an extremity)

• 4” emergency bandage (staunches blood flow from traumatic hemorrhage wounds)

• Celox rapid gauze (stops severe arterial bleeding)

• Shears (for any situation where heavy cutting strength is needed – fabrics, etc.)

• Combat medic reinforcement tape (provides added security and support when gauze and elastic straps are not enough)

• Triangular bandage (many uses, makes an excellent sling)

• Compressed gauze

• Tactical nitrile gloves

• Nasopharyngeal airway (airway adjunct in the semi-conscious or unconscious patient)

• Assisted opening rescue knife

Dr. Greenfield will provide the in-service training necessary to familiarize police officers with the medical supplies in their tactical kits, and to ensure proper usage. ED physicians will also provide annual refresher training for officers.

Implementation of the patrol car tactical kit program will certainly save lives. Immediate care at the accident scene saves valuable time during the first five minutes of that “golden hour,” when every second counts. It also reduces patient blood loss by maintaining hemostasis during transport to the Emergency Department. And it strengthens the partnership of first responders and hospital emergency physicians and staff—all of whom work together to save lives. Funding by our elected officials has made this initiative possible and will be a true lifesaver to accident victims in Huntsville Hospital’s service area.

PROGRAM FUNDING **

Huntsville Hospital Foundation received generous grants from the Madison County Delegation to fund the purchase of patrol car tactical kits.

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