Central Texas Medical Center (CTMC) has recently added to the Individual Police Officer Kits (IPOK) the hospital purchased for 14 San Marcos patrol cars in 2011.
The kits allow officers to stop the bleeding for serious injuries, such as a gunshot wound, until additional medical help arrives.
The additional IPOKs ensure that every San Marcos Police Department officer will be outfitted with a kit should they acquire or encounter a serious injury.
The IPOK includes gloves, gauze, trauma dressing and a combat application tourniquet.
“This is a good thing for us to do for our community officers,” CTMC Director of Patient Care Services Michael Plankers said. “Any time we can give immediate attention to a serious wound, there is a better chance that a life or a limb will be saved.”
Program proponents at CTMC said one instance of an IPOK saving a life was documented in Round Rock in September 2011 when Sgt. Nate Zoss arrived at the scene of a motorcycle accident where a victim’s leg had been severed.
According to the city of Round Rock, Zoss and other officers were able to stop the victim’s bleeding before Williamson County EMS transported him to St David’s Round Rock Medical Center for treatment, a decision that saved his life.
“A combat application tourniquet is included in [the IPOK], which is what we carry on the Hays County SWAT team to allow for self-aid and buddy aid,” Sgt. Erik Spriegel of the San Marcos Police Department and Hays County SWAT team said. “This same theory has started to trickle down to patrol officers. In the event of a major injury they can use the items on themselves or someone else. Thanks to the partnership with CTMC, we have been able to equip all of our patrol officers with a kit.”
For additional information about CTMC’s Emergency Care Services, visit www.ctmc.org [1].
Links:
[1] http://www.ctmc.org