Dear Senators Cornyn, Whitehouse, Tillis, and Coons,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for S. 2644, the “American Law Enforcement Sustaining Aid and Vital Emergency Resources (SAVER) Act.”
Incidents with traumatic injuries are inherently unpredictable, and law enforcement officers are almost always the first to respond to these emergencies. In many cases, the greatest danger is not when the incident begins, but in its aftermath. Someone suffering from a major arterial puncture will bleed to death in three to five minutes, which is daunting compared to the average emergency medical services response time of seven minutes. In these circumstances, the injured officer, victim, or bystander must survive by utilizing a trauma kit or tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
Your legislation would expand the existing Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) program to allow for the purchase of trauma kits. These kits can be placed in police vehicles, law enforcement agencies, and other government facilities ready to be deployed immediately following any injury in which blood loss is potentially fatal. More trauma kits in the field mean more lives saved.
On behalf of the more than 373,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you all for your leadership on this issue. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President