Penn. Mall Donates Medical Supply Bags to Police

Jan. 23--Being a patrol officer often means being the first on the scene of a vehicle accident, fire or other emergency where people are injured.

So rather than wait for a paramedic to arrive, police often begin administering basic first aid.

Officials at Ross Park Mall are helping to make sure township police have the tools they need to provide that care.

The mall recently donated four new first aid kits to replace aging gear in police department vehicles.

"These bags are designed to assist in basic first aid as well as in responding to cases with significant trauma to provide some emergency care prior to the arrival of EMS," said Ross Det. Brian Kohlhepp.

The bags are packed with first aid items including trauma dressings, a bag valve mask to help with CPR respiration, tourniquets, clotting agents, "Israeli" or pressure dressings and gloves.

The kits, which were put together with help from the Ross/West View Emergency Medical Service, also will be helpful if there is a "large-scale" event involving multiple injuries, said police Chief Joseph Ley.

"Officers can place their bags at various locations for medical personal to use," he said. "It saves a lot of critical time when they don't have to run back and forth from the ambulance to get equipment and supplies."

Ley said the kits are valued at about $300 each and will help the department with its effort to upgrade the medical equipment in its 18 police vehicles.

Two additional medical kits also will be kept at the mall, Ley said.

(c)2017 The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.)