MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County Schools’ safety officers patrolling schools will soon have access to special equipment that could potentially save lives.
SCS used grant money to purchase QuikClot trauma kits.
About 100 SCS safety officers will soon have some of the same medical equipment the military does.
QuikClot kits could be used in a major emergency, like a natural disaster or shooting.
They can also be used to help with injuries from accidents.
SCS Director of Safety and Security Carolyn Jackson told WREG prevention is important, but sometimes it is not enough.
“So, in the situations where you can’t, you want to have your officers trained and equipped to deal with what they need to deal with,” Jackson explained.
The kits include a tourniquet and a special type of gauze that includes a clotting agent.
“We’re actually accelerating the clotting process within the body,” said Z-Medica Marketing Advisor Tom Bonaventura.
SCS is thankful that so far, it has not needed this kind of equipment.
Still, WREG has reported on students bringing weapons to schools before.
“You cringe when you hear we’ve got a gun, we’ve got a knife, and then you look at that situation and try to analyze why that happened,” Jackson said.
In the event that that involves trauma, SCS hopes the gear will have officers ready to respond.
Officers will get the kits next month.
The district did not buy the kits for law enforcement stationed at the schools.
The Mid-South Emergency Planning Coalition purchased QuikClot equipment as well.
