Fear & Loading: Spirit of Blue Grants Tourniquets to Kentucky PD

The Spirit of Blue Foundation has awarded a Safety Equipment Grant to the Owensboro, Ky., Police Department (OPD) to outfit its 110 officers with tourniquets and duty belt cases. “Tourniquets are wonderful to have, but they are only useful if you have them at hand. Seconds save lives,” OPD Deputy Chief Jeff Speed said. “These new tourniquets will improve safety for both officers and for members of the public who are injured because they will always be on an officer’s belt.”

The Gen7 C-A-T Tourniquets are from North American Rescue. A RIGID TQ Case with Basketweave finish from Eleven-10 was added to the agency’s uniform policy, ensuring they will be worn on duty belts. Primary funding for the grant, valued at $7,736.70, was possible through a partnership with Law Enforcement United.

Tourniquets are vital pieces of medical equipment in the event of traumatic injury to an extremity, often preventing excessive blood loss until the victim is placed into medical care. The Spirit of Blue Foundation will also replace any tourniquet used by an OPD officer in the line of duty for the life of the tourniquet. Since its first tourniquet grant in 2013, the organization has helped distribute 3,300 tourniquets nationwide, with one officer and five community member saves as a result.

“This is the tenth grant we have awarded in the Bluegrass State,” said Ryan T. Smith, executive director of the Spirit of Blue Foundation. “Each agency we have worked with is staffed with the most wonderful, committed people. These communities are fortunate to have protectors such as these standing in the gap.”

The lead sponsor for the grant was Law Enforcement United, which has supported Spirit of Blue with more $280,000 in safety grant funding since 2015. The organization, which consists of more than 1,000 active and retired police officers, honors fallen officers and raises funds to assist charitable organizations that serve the law enforcement community.