WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statements after their Improving Police Critical Aid for Responding to Emergencies (CARE) Act, which would 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, passed the Senate:

“When responding to medical emergencies, time and access to the right tools can mean the difference between life and death,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would equip law enforcement officers with high-quality trauma kits to prevent deaths due to blood loss and give patients the best chance of survival.”

“Police officers serve on the frontlines in their communities every day, and they are often first on the scene in medical emergencies,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “Our bipartisan legislation would provide officers in the field with emergency trauma kits, and fund standardized training to allow them to better protect the public and save lives.”

“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 Sen. Tillis. “Ensuring law enforcement officers have effective trauma kits will save countless law enforcement and civilian lives.”

“Our nation’s law enforcement officers keep our communities safe, and all Americans are better off when they have the resources they need to do their jobs when emergencies strike,” said Sen. Coons. “As co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, I’m proud that my colleagues passed this bipartisan, commonsense legislation so that police officers have the trauma kits they need to save lives.”

“As the first people to arrive at the scene of an emergency, law enforcement officers must be prepared for anything and properly equipped to respond,” said Sen. Rounds. “Our legislation would support equipping officers with trauma kits to control life-threatening hemorrhages in an emergency situation. This bill has the potential to save lives, and I’m pleased that it has passed the Senate.”

“It is imperative that law enforcement officers have the resources and training they need to save lives,” said Sen. Durbin. “Blood loss injuries are too often deadly, especially in rural areas where it can take longer for patients to receive emergency medical care. 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.”

U.S. Senators Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are cosponsors of the legislation.

Background:

Trauma kits play a vital role in preventing deaths due to blood loss. Between 30-40% of trauma-related deaths are caused by hemorrhaging, or uncontrolled bleeding, with 33-56% of them occurring before the patient arrives at the 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. Having access to a trauma kit and early bleeding control can help bridge this gap and mean the difference between life and death.

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 enormous variation in the products available on the market.

The Improving Police Critical Aid for Responding to Emergencies (CARE) Act would:

• 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);
• And 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.

The legislation 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.