Commissioner of Police Michael DeSilva - I am pleased to accept the donation of 350 Trauma Packs on behalf of the Bermuda Police Service (BPS). This represents a key objective of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) that was set at our AGM held in Bermuda last year. At that meeting, the Commissioners were moved by the powerful story of St. Croix Chief of Police Christopher Howell who survived multiple gunshot wounds in 2012, thanks to a trauma pack that he was carrying. Research estimates that two out of three fatal shootings result from blood loss, not the gunshot injury itself. Under the banner, “Operation Triage,” (see YouTube) the ACCP undertook to provide all of its front line officers with this potential life-saving pack.

The packs contain a tourniquet, pressure gauzes and a chemical for blood clotting. It is recognised that tourniquets are not generally used by first aiders, and these packs will only be used by the police in extreme circumstances where it could mean the difference between life and death. Since police officers are amongst the first to arrive at most shootings, it makes sense that we provide them with an emergency solution to gunshot wounds.

I am very grateful to Government House for its role in working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to have these packs provided to our officers, at no cost to the BPS. I’m glad we have them, but I hope we never have to use them.