LI School District Brings In New First Aid Kits That Could Save Lives
CONNETQUOT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island school district has become the first in the nation to stock belt trauma kits, used to stop bleeding significantly faster than other traditional means.
They're called BTKs and they were initially developed for the military. But in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, the advanced first aid and hemorrhage control kits will be on hand in the Connetquot School District this year.
Connetquot Superintendent Linda Adams told 1010 WINS the equipment can help in any emergency, not just a shooting.
LI School District Brings In New First Aid Kits That Could Save Lives
"Now this could be someone who was doing gymnastics and fell off the balance beam and had a compound fracture that was bleeding," she said. "So we're not really just talking about something that could be a tragedy as much as something that could be a traumatic event that is a normal, everyday setting in the school."
Following the shooting at Sandy Hook in 2012, a panel of experts recommended BTKs in schools.
Adams said the panel studied data from the shooting and realized some lives might have been saved if the trauma kits were available.
"First and foremost it is our job to make sure that our students come to school and return to home safely everyday, as well as our faculty and staff," Adams said of the decision to bring the kits into the school district.
The kits cost $175 and will be available to trained school nurses and security guards.
"I have an amazing team that wants to keep our facilities safe and secure," Adams told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall. "We want to make sure that everyone who came to school in the morning goes home healthy, safe and hopefully learning more each day."
