Trauma kits slow down bleeding
By Scott Bellile
Outagamie County sheriff’s deputies who respond to critical incidents now have up-to-date trauma kits to slow the bleeding.
The Fox Valley Regional Trauma Advisory Council donated 60 trauma kits containing emergency medical supplies including tourniquets and trauma bandages to the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office.
Keller Inc. also supplied donations to the sheriff’s office to purchase new tactical go-bags to hold the emergency supplies.
The supplies will help any county law enforcement officer give medical attention to victims of everything from car crashes to industrial or farming accidents to mass casualty events, according to Outagamie County Sheriff’s Sgt. Nathan Borman.
“In most cases our dedicated EMS professionals throughout the county arrive on scene around the same time as our officers do,” Borman said. “In some cases our officers arrive first and need to be prepared to offer the emergent stabilizing care necessary until EMS can arrive and take over.”
Photo courtesy of Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office
Jason Selwitschka, coordinator for the Fox Valley Regional Trauma Advisory Council, said the organization’s focuses include projects that reduce mortality such as the American College of Surgeons’ Stop the Bleed campaign.
“This project is aimed at training non-emergency people to render [aid] with standard bleeding control techniques such as direct pressure and tourniquet application until professional help arrives,” Selwitschka said.
The previous medical bags, which the sheriff’s office had used until about a month ago, were outdated, Borman said. Officers were no longer trained to use many of the supplies inside the bags.
“Our old medical bags were nearing 30 years old,” Borman said. “The supplies in them were quite worn and the bags were rather large. More current training leads us to need smaller, easier to carry supplies. Our emphasis is on a fast response to the injuries we may face. These bags are easy for officers to carry over their shoulder and allow them the ability to carry other equipment they may need at the same time.”
The new kits are geared toward treating mass casualty events like shootings, Borman said.
“Tragically, these are the challenges we must plan for today,” Borman said.
The new kits have already been put to use. A tourniquet was used in treating someone who injured their wrist during a suicide attempt, Borman said.
Wayne Stellmacher, president and CEO of Keller Inc., said the company’s donation is a thank-you to Outagamie County law enforcement for their bravery and dedication to protecting citizens’ well-being.
“Knowing they utilized our donation to purchase tactical go-bags to better serve their officers in times of critical incidents, is a testament to their mission statement ‘to enhance the quality of life in Outagamie County,’” Stellmacher said in an email. “We are thrilled that our donation is able to provide equipment that will make an impact with every officer in the department.”