LEO trauma kit donations or discounts?

[tanksoldier]

My Chief is unwilling to “pay $48 for some gauze, and that stuff expires” …. Essentially he’s unwilling to shell out for hemostatic gauze, chest seals and tourniquets to make trauma kits. He’s willing to let us use our own, but won’t replace it if we use it.

The arguments that can be made against this…. shortsightedness…. have been made, quite strongly, but the decision stands.

So.

Does anyone know if an organization willing or able to donate trauma kits or supplies to law enforcement?

Alternately, does anyone know where they can be bought at a significant discount?

I can teach a “stop the bleed” class but would like to have kits to hand out and explain, rather than teaching the class and telling them to go buy it themselves.

[ST911]

Very few people will see your post in here, I can move it to GD if you like.

You need a new chief or a new agency.
This stuff is the standard of care/industry standard. If the picture you paint is accurate, your chief is deliberately indifferent and negligent.
There are organizations that donate trauma kits, the names escape me. I'll think on it.
Go to your local lions/vfw/am legion/etc and ask for donation/sponsorship for this purpose, offer gratuitous PR.
Go to your emergency manager or state homeland security coordinator and ask how to apply for federal funds for this allocated to states. IFAKs are fundable.
Go to your local hospital and ask what they might have to spare. There's usually an emergency management/liaison official in facilities.
Go to your local mil/NG unit (esp a med company) and see if they have expired gear they are turning over. A unit de-mob'ing can be a good time.

Fund/buy necessities, not niceties. You need some ace wraps, krink, TQs, and tape, which you can do that for <$30 with the standard ~10% discount off MSRP most places offer. Buy the latest version of the SOFT from TMS and they can double as trainers for a long time. Chest seals, trauma dressings, and hemo gauze is nice to have.

[tanksoldier]

Very few people will see your post in here, I can move it to GD if you like.

Sure, if you think that's better.

You need a new chief or a new agency.
This stuff is the standard of care/industry standard. If the picture you paint is accurate, your chief is deliberately indifferent and negligent.

Possibly true, but it's the situation I have to work within.

There are organizations that donate trauma kits, the names escape me. I'll think on it.

That would be great

Go to your local lions/vfw/am legion/etc and ask for donation/sponsorship for this purpose, offer gratuitous PR.

Part of the problem is, we're a new agency and everyone who works here came from somewhere else. Nobody belongs to any of those organizations or has family in the area who do.

I'm going to try calling around but thought I'd ask if anyone knew anyone who does those kind of donations specifically.

Go to your emergency manager or state homeland security coordinator and ask how to apply for federal funds for this allocated to states. IFAKs are fundable.

If we have those positions, they are probably held by the chief himself. We only have 10 people in our entire department.

[ST911]

If we have those positions, they are probably held by the chief himself. We only have 10 people in our entire department.

I meant your county/state EM and homeland security folks. Go here: https://dhsem.colorado.gov/, scroll down for "contact us" information. Go to the Grants, then Grant Programs tab for some examples. IFAKs and MASCAL gear are fundable in a number of state and federal programs. You could also contact the state department of health or education and ask about a stop the bleed in schools program, and see if that's something you can hitch onto to.

You should be able to fund IFAKs for everyone in your office, kits for your cars and schools, training kits, and a backstock of consumable supplies.

[joe138]

Also check with your county Prosecutor office. At least here they will help with funds occasionally.

[ST911]

Also check with your county Prosecutor office. At least here they will help with funds occasionally.

Yep, forgot that thanks. Depending on how it's set up, this stuff is fundable with asset forfeitures.

[tanksoldier]

You could also contact the state department of health or education and ask about a stop the bleed in schools program, and see if that's something you can hitch onto to.

Ironically, I was the SRO and taught Stop the Bleed to school staff (as suggested here in another thread) and all the classrooms and offices have stop the bleed kits now... but we don't.

[chuckman]

I know Tactical Medical Solutions (TMS) and North American Rescue offer both professional discounts as well as volume discounts.

I also know TMS has worked with agencies and organizations to find grant money.

I also agree you need a new chief, but I also know it ain't gonna happen. I would send him the data and copy your elected officials. Having it and knowing how to use it can offset liability and insurance. If you need help with data I might be able to point you in some directions. If your elected officials understand that this is now current practice and not doing it increases liability, they be more inclined to fund.

Right now some of these companies are donating med supplies to Ukraine. Not sure if you would get buy-in for donations from them to your organization while this is going on.

[1168]

If you’re a cop in SC(particularly lowcountry, but along 26, 20, 95, or 77), hit me up on PM, and I’ll see what I can do to try to help out an individual officer.

[Valaden]

My Chief is unwilling to “pay $48 for some gauze, and that stuff expires” …. Essentially he’s unwilling to shell out for hemostatic gauze, chest seals and tourniquets to make trauma kits. He’s willing to let us use our own, but won’t replace it if we use it.

The arguments that can be made against this…. shortsightedness…. have been made, quite strongly, but the decision stands.

So.

Does anyone know if an organization willing or able to donate trauma kits or supplies to law enforcement?

Alternately, does anyone know where they can be bought at a significant discount?

I can teach a “stop the bleed” class but would like to have kits to hand out and explain, rather than teaching the class and telling them to go buy it themselves.

Man, I could rant about my organisation for days. I once asked if I would be allowed to wear a personal TQ and was told that's what ambulances are for.

We just had a stabbing at the courthouse and they had to stop the bleeding with brown paper because all we have is an AED and plasters. Hopefully this will change things.