Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Coons (D-DE) in applauding Senate passage of their American Law Enforcement Sustaining Aid and Vital Emergency Resources (SAVER) Act, which would equip law enforcement officers with reliable and effective trauma kits that allow them to immediately respond to civilian or first responder injuries during emergency calls.
“Police officers should have access to every life-saving intervention available,” said Whitehouse. “I am pleased the Senate passed our bipartisan legislation to provide law enforcement officers with standardized emergency trauma kits – important tools to save lives.”
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 American Law Enforcement SAVER 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 American Law Enforcement SAVER Act has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, National Criminal Justice Association, The Wounded Blue, American Trauma Society, Society of Trauma Nurses, American College of Surgeons, and American College of Emergency Physicians.
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Meaghan McCabe, (202) 224-2921
