Los Angeles Police Foundation Equips LAPD with Life-Saving Trauma Kits NR14033AN

Los Angeles, January 27, 2014 – At 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 28, 2014, the Board of Police Commissioners will vote to accept a unique gift that improves the safety of every LAPD officer.  Eight thousand trauma kits will be donated by the Los Angeles Police Foundation (LAPF).   

The new trauma kits, which will be previewed for the first time at the Commission meeting, will replace outdated materials that were originally created in 1998 and will allow officers to render life-saving medical aid in the event of a trauma, terrorist attack or natural disaster.  A major improvement is the inclusion of advanced tourniquets, which saved countless lives in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing.   

“Studies show that timely use of tourniquets could raise survival rates as high as 90 percent,” said Steve Soboroff, Police Commission President.  “Through the LAPD’s partnership with the LAPF, police officers are better equipped to save lives – – the public’s and their own.”

Background
In 1998, Officer Phil Cuesta was mortally wounded by gunfire. In order to stop the bleeding and save his life, another officer removed her shirt to use as a bandage. After that incident, the LAPF created and purchased trauma kits for all officers. Those trauma kits were the first grant the LAPF made to the Department.

About the Los Angeles Police Foundation
The Los Angeles Police Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides critical resources and vital support to the Los Angeles Police Department. From essential equipment and state-of-the-art technology to specialized training and innovative programs that would otherwise be unfunded, the support it provides directly improves public safety, impacts officer readiness, and enhances our quality of life.  As the largest source of private funding for the LAPD, the LAPF is passionately dedicated to ensuring that Los Angeles remains America’s safest major city.

Since its founding in 1998, the LAPF has awarded more than $21 million in grants to the LAPD. For more information on the Los Angeles Police Foundation, visit www.lapolicefoundation.org.