New Federal Law Mandates Trauma Kits for Law Enforcement Officers
What to Know
- The CARE Act requires trauma kits with essential supplies such as tourniquets, bandages, gloves, and scissors for law enforcement vehicles and facilities.
- Studies show that prompt application of tourniquets can increase survival rates sixfold in traumatic injuries.
- The law received broad bipartisan support from federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations, as well as medical groups.
WASHINGTON — President Trump signed into law the bipartisan Improving Police Critical Aid for Responding to Emergencies (CARE) Act, mandating that law enforcement officers receive standardized trauma kits and optional training to respond to medical emergencies in the field. The legislation was incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) led the initiative, emphasizing the lifesaving potential of providing officers with immediate access to bleeding control supplies, according to a news release.
“Police officers serve on the front lines in their communities every day, and they are often first on the scene in medical emergencies,” Whitehouse said. “Our bipartisan law will provide officers with emergency trauma kits and fund standardized training to help them better protect the public and save lives.”
Cornyn added that “time and access to the right tools can mean the difference between life and death,” noting that trauma kits help prevent deaths due to blood loss and improve survival outcomes.
The CARE Act establishes baseline standards for trauma kits purchased with Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds. These standards, developed in consultation with law enforcement and medical professionals, ensure that kits include essential bleeding control supplies such as tourniquets, bandages, non-latex gloves, scissors, and instructions. The legislation also calls for optional best practices for officer training, deployment, and maintenance of trauma kits in vehicles and facilities.
Trauma-related hemorrhaging accounts for 30 to 40 percent of deaths in traumatic incidents, often before patients can reach a hospital. Studies indicate survival rates increase sixfold when tourniquets are applied promptly, particularly in rural areas where emergency medical services response times are longer than in urban settings.
Support for the legislation spans federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association, and the National Fraternal Order of Police. Professional medical groups, such as the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Trauma Nurses, also endorsed the law.
Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ashley Moody (R-FL), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) cosponsored the bill, reflecting broad bipartisan support for equipping officers with the tools and training necessary to respond effectively to life-threatening injuries.