First Aid in Law Enforcement
Commercially manufactured tourniquets come with a holster for attachment to officer ’ s duty gear to ensure they are always available and cost about $ 40 each .
Chest Seals When officers received tourniquets , they were also trained in the use of chest seals . The chest seal itself is pretty straightforward ; it is a large occlusive dressing that prevents air from passing through it . The thoracic cavity , also called the chest cavity , is the area of the body that contains the lungs . When an object punctures the cavity , it is possible for air to be sucked into the body cavity . If air becomes trapped in the cavity , it can put pressure on the lung . Every time the individual inhales they can suck more air into the thoracic cavity building more pressure and prevent the lung from being able to expand . As a result , less air is breathed into the lung from the mouth and nose , further hindering the lung ’ s ability to inflate ( this is called a pneumothorax ). The chest seal is a relatively simple solution that can be quickly applied . With a properly applied chest seal , an officer can reduce the building up of pressure in the thoracic cavity . This won ’ t fix the problem , but it can help to prevent it from getting worse until the patient can be provided care from a medical professional . Chest seals are sold in packs of two and sell for approximately $ 10 - $ 15 per pair . Each GCPD officer is issued a pair of chest seals and can be quickly resupplied after they are used . Since 2014 , officers applied chest seals to at least 37 shooting victims and at least 6 stabbing victims .
Automated External Defibrillator ( AED ) The agency began utilizing AED ’ s in 2015 and currently has 122 AED ’ s distributed throughout the department . A good number of these are mounted throughout the department ’ s facilities to ensure employees always have access to one nearby . The majority of AED ’ s , however , are at the precincts for issuance to officers as they go on patrol . This frequently helps out on calls where someone has gone into cardiac arrest and the officer is the first to arrive . When an officer determines a person has a very weak pulse , or no pulse at all , they can deploy the AED . Once opened , the AED provides the officer verbal instructions through its speaker . After the officer to attaches the pads ( stickers with cables attached ) to the patient , the device will begin to analyze their heart . The AED can recommend that the officer administer a shock to the individual or to begin
A recent survey of Georgia police agencies revealed 153 departments issue NARCAN to their officers . Of these agencies :
66 % ( N = 101 ) reported they had administered the drug to persons who had overdosed for a total of more than 847 instances
24 % ( N = 22 ) of departments follow-up with the person who overdosed at a later date
chest compressions . The AED helps the officer to take the course of action that will be most beneficial to the patient as they provide first aid until EMS personnel arrive . Since the GCPD began tracking the use of these AED ’ s in 2018 , officers have deployed them on 32 patients . AED ’ s are the most expensive item mentioned in this article and typically cost around $ 1000 each .
FALL . 2020 33