Specialised first aid kits and medical training are vital resources in protecting the men and women that spend their days protecting us; Officer Down is working to equip local law enforcement with these skills.
Cape Town, South Africa (09 March 2023) – Officer Down is a newly founded non-profit by Tim Flack, Themba Kubheka and Kerren Gammage, to get individual first aid kits (IFAK) into the hands of South African law enforcement, to help officers who find themselves in the line of fire.
The organisation aims to provide critical first-aid training to officers, to be able to give them the tools to take action, should a fellow officer be injured in the line of duty.
Many officers face the reality of under-resourced facilities while still being required to provide the same level of service. Officer Down was created to help these men and women, feel safer in doing their jobs.
Attacks on police officers are not uncommon in South Africa, where violent crime is often met with retaliation in the persuit of justice. Equipping officers with the means to take care of each other, the hope is that these men and women can save their colleagues, while waiting for the appropriate medical services to arrive.
“One of the key components of the initiative is the use of individual first aid kits (IFAKs). These kits are designed to be carried by officers and contain essential medical equipment that can be used to treat life-threatening injuries. The kits include items such as tourniquets, chest seals, and trauma dressings, as well as other essential medical supplies.
The use of IFAKs in the US Military can be traced back to the early 2000s, when the military realised the need for soldiers to have quick and easy access to life-saving medical equipment on the battlefield. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was observed that many soldiers were dying from preventable causes, such as bleeding out from injuries to their arms or legs.”
This kit has since been adopted by many law enforcement firms throughout the world. It is a vital tool in saving lives of men and women working on the frontlines of crime and protecting the nation.
“Officer Down aims to provide the same level of training and equipment to SAPS and law enforcement.
The organisation is currently seeking funding and donations to make this a reality and to provide the much-needed care to potentially save the lives of thousands of officers in South Africa.
The organisation’s goal is to start the training and distribution of the IFAKs by March 2023, and will welcome anyone willing to help prevent the unnecessary death of officers in South Africa.”
The organisation is in the beginning phase of roll-out, hoping to raise enough interest to get the NPO off the ground. Should you be interested in finding out more, you can check out Officer Down via Facebook or the Website.
“At Officer Down, we believe that supporting law enforcement officers is critical to creating a safer and more secure South Africa. We are dedicated to providing the necessary medical supplies and training to police officers and are grateful for any support that we receive in our mission.”
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