“On October 10, 2015, at approximately 4:47 PM, Alhambra Police Department officers responded to a disturbance call at a residence in the 2400 block of South Hitchcock Drive.  Upon arrival, the officers located a 20-year-old Hispanic male that was bleeding profusely from a severed artery on his right forearm.  The male subject was being held down by several residents and he was struggling with them in an attempt to get up.  Officers acted quickly and immediately called for paramedics.  Before paramedics arrived, an officer applied a Combat Application Tourniquet (C.A.T.) on the male subject’s upper arm and successfully stopped the bleeding.  Prior to the tourniquet application, the male subject had lost several liters of blood. The officer’s quick thinking possibly saved the male subject’s life.

While the subject was being treated, he acted strangely and told the officers to shoot him.  Officers learned that the subject punched a plate glass window at the location, which caused the injury.  It was later determined that the subject was suffering from a mental disorder.  He was transported to Garfield Medical Center for treatment and examination by doctors.  The subject’s name will not be released due to his medical privacy rights.

Alhambra Police Department officers received tactical medicine training in August 2015 that was hosted by Huntington Memorial Hospital and South Pasadena Police Department.  Officers were issued individual first aid kits and taught proper application of tourniquets, gauze treated with hemostatic agents, and other life-saving interventions.  This training, which occurred less than two months ago, proved vital in the above incident. A picture of a Combat Application Tourniquet is attached to this release.”

We here at the APF are extremely appreciative of all the support that we have received!  It’s because of your attendance and participation that made these Trauma Kits available to the Alhambra Police Department.  Thank you for making a difference!