Whitehouse-Cornyn Bill to Equip Law Enforcement with Trauma Kits Signed into Law
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAUMA KITS
Sheldon Whitehouse
Providence, RI – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statements after their Improving Police Critical Aid for Responding to Emergencies (CARE) Act, which will equip law enforcement officers with quality trauma kits so they can respond immediately if a civilian or fellow officer experiences a traumatic injury during a call, was signed into law by President Trump as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):
“Police officers serve on the front lines in their communities every day, and they are often first on the scene in medical emergencies,” said Whitehouse. “Our bipartisan law will provide officers with emergency trauma kits and fund standardized training to help them better protect the public and save lives.”
“When responding to medical emergencies, time and access to the right tools can mean the difference between life and death,” said Cornyn. “This law will equip law enforcement officers with high-quality trauma kits to prevent deaths due to blood loss and give patients the best chance of survival.”
“As a strong supporter of our brave men and women in law enforcement, I am proud to co-introduce the Improving Police CARE Act which would equip them with the tools they need to keep our communities safe,” said Tillis. “Ensuring law enforcement officers have effective trauma kits will save countless law enforcement and civilian lives.”
“All Americans are better off when law enforcement officers have the resources they need to do their jobs when emergencies strike,” said Coons. “As co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, I’m proud that this bipartisan, commonsense legislation will become law and more police officers will have the trauma kits they need to save lives.”
“It is imperative that law enforcement officers have the resources and training they need to save lives,” said Durbin. “Blood loss injuries are too often deadly, especially in rural areas where it can take longer for patients to receive emergency medical care. Now that the bill is signed into law, the bipartisan Improving Police CARE Act will establish standards for trauma kits used by law enforcement, ensuring that our officers have the right tools to respond to injuries immediately and continue to serve our communities.”
Trauma kits play a vital role in preventing deaths due to blood loss. Between 30 to 40 percent of trauma-related deaths are caused by hemorrhaging, with many occurring before the patient can get to a hospital. During the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, tourniquets and tourniquet training were widely adopted by the military for their lifesaving potential in combat. This practice has since been embraced in civilian populations given its clear survival benefit. In fact, one study found that patient survival was six times more likely when a tourniquet was used, underscoring the critical need for timely bleeding control. This is especially true in rural areas where the average EMS response time is typically double that in urban areas.
The effectiveness of a law enforcement trauma kit program depends in part on the contents and the quality of the kits. Medical professionals recommend that a kit include bleeding control supplies like tourniquets, bandages, non-latex gloves, scissors, and instructions. However, there is significant variation in the products available on the market.
The Improving Police Critical Aid for Responding to Emergencies (CARE) Act will establish baseline standards in consultation with law enforcement and medical professionals for trauma kits purchased using grant funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). The new law will also require the development of optional best practices that law enforcement agencies can adapt for training law enforcement officers to use trauma kits and for deployment and maintenance of the kits in vehicles and government facilities.
U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ashley Moody (R-FL), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) cosponsor the legislation.
The law is endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the Society of Trauma Nurses, the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and the American Trauma Society.