The use of a personal tourniquet to save a Queensland police officer shot on duty this year has promoted a government rollout of new first aid kits.
State Police Minister Dan Purdie said 12,500 personal-issue Tactical First Aid Kits would be made available to frontline police officers.
Minister Purdie said $5.39 million would be invested over the next five years, ensuring officers had immediate access to life-saving first aid equipment.
He said the investment followed a shooting in January where an injured police officer was saved by a personal tourniquet, carried by a fellow officer.
“Each Tactical First Aid Kit contains a tourniquet, compression bandage, chest seal, shears and an IMIST (Identification, Mechanism of injury, Injuries, Symptoms, Treatment) proforma, used to assist with medical handover.”
Minister Purdie said the trauma response kits were designed for use in high-risk incidents where life- threatening injuries, including penetrating trauma and severe haemorrhaging, may occur.
“Police officers risk their lives every day and we saw just last month when an Acting Sergeant in Brisbane was shot, he was saved by his partner through the use of a Tactical First Aid Kit.
“When it comes to life and death injuries, every second counts, so these kits will strengthen our officers’ emergency response capabilities.”
Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the personal-issue Tactical First Aid Kits would enhance the Queensland Police Service’s ability to keep frontline responders and the community safe.
“Following recent incidents that demonstrated the effectiveness of Tactical First Aid Kits, I have determined that every frontline police officer will now receive a personally issued trauma response kit,” Commissioner Gollschewski said.
