Elementary students at Parklane Academy recently raised $2,050 to buy trauma packs for the McComb Police Department.
Principal Linda Love, students and staff presented the packs to city police in a ceremony held at the school on Friday.
Principal Linda Love found out about Project Triage — a program that helps distribute the trauma packs to police departments — through her fellow church member Kay Alford.
“I had been thinking about what we could do as a project this year. Usually, we help out a family in need, but I wanted to do something different this year instead of pulling a name and giving a toy to a child,” Love said. “I was in Sunday School class at First Baptist Church in Summit and Kay Alford came into our class and asked for help with Project Triage. She told us about the project and what the purpose of it is.
“I thought, ‘Wow, this would be a good project for the school.’ ”
Police Chief Scott McKenzie explained that the trauma packs are used if an officer is injured in the line of duty and is experiencing blood loss.
“An officer doesn’t die from the wound if they are shot or stabbed, they die from the blood loss. The pack would help them stop the blood loss until a paramedic arrived,” McKenzie said.
Each pack contains hemostatic gauze, tourniquet, combat compression dressing, nitrile gloves and an instruction card.
The packs are placed in the pocket of the officer’s vest and are kept on the officer until they are needed.
“My hope, my prayer, is that we never need them, but they are always good to have,” McKenzie said.
Love said she met with the staff about participating in program for the school’s Christmas project.
“I got with some of the teachers and they all thought that it was a good idea. I got the letters sent out to our parents and we made the donations optional. This wasn’t something they had to do. They wanted to do it. The money just started coming in,” Love said.
She said she wanted the students to do something to give back to the officers.
“Law enforcement has gotten a bad rap lately. They help protect us and we wanted to help protect them,” Love said. “We wanted them to know that we appreciate them.”
The goal of the fundraiser was to purchase a pack for every officer on the McComb police force.
“They are also useful for civilians, too,” Alford said. “An officer can help keep a civilian alive until the paramedics arrive because he or she has the pack.”
The trauma packs were created in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, by Christopher Howell.
According to the website,www.projecttriage.org, Howell was shot in the line of duty in August 2012. After almost losing his life, he wanted to create something that would help save the lives of police officers.
“These packs are good until you open them. Once you open them and air hits them you only have a limited amount of time to use them,” McKenzie said.
The students raised $2,050 and purchased 41 trauma packs to give to McComb’s 35 police officers and the K-9 unit. The remaining packs will be given to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department.
“The packs are $50 per pack and there are 35 officers on the force. The packs for the K-9 and its handler are $100 a pack. This should tell you how much the children raised,” McKenzie said.
The chief said Alford had begin to raise money for trauma packs to give to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department. Alford said she is a few packs short of having enough for all of the deputies.
Love wanted her students to be able to see what their money went towards first- hand.
“I wanted the students to be able to put a face with a name to see who they did this for,” she said. “I invited all of the city selectmen and the mayor to a presentation for the police department. Chief McKenzie spoke at the event and it was great turnout.”
Love said she wanted the students to continue helping with this project.
“Every kit has a code and the name of our school on it, so when the kit is used then we will replace it. We hope it never has to be used,”Love said.
Love said Alford was a big help and she made all of the program’s success possible.
Alford has been involved with the program for more than a year and enlisted the help of her church members.
“I’m 71 years old. I can’t get out and do much, but what I can do, I do it. I just wanted to be able to help the officers that help us,” Alford said.
Alford said one of her biggest supporters has been her church, First Baptist of Summit.
“I went around to all the Sunday School classes asking for help,” she said. “They were very willing to help. Linda came to me around Christmas and said that she was led to help. Parklane has been very instrumental. They did a tremendous job.”
Alford became active in the project through the help of her friend Lois Holmes of Columbia.
Alford’s goal is to give packs to all officers in south Mississippi, reaching to the southwest region first.
She began with the Summit Police Department. Alford’s goal is to give packs to the Magnolia, Osyka and Southwest Mississippi Community College officers as well.
Alford said she has had some merchant backing, but would love more.
“I’ve had people come up to me on the street and hand me $50 and tell me, ‘This for the packs.’ It’s amazing how this has taken off,” Alford said.
For more information on Project Triage or to help, visit www.projecttriage.org or contact Alford at (601) 276-6531.
