Fall River, MA: Mechanics Cooperative Bank is proud to announce their support for the City of Fall River and their Police Department with the purchase of 230 military-grade tourniquets. These tourniquets will now be part of each police car’s permanent first-aid and life-saving equipment. This $12,000 equipment donation by Mechanics Cooperative Bank is in direct support of the FRPD and as recent events have proven, the timing could not be better.
This past October, 2016 Fall River Police Officers Guy Furtado, David Reed, Zachary Dupere and Nicholas Hoar responded to a shooting call in the North end of Fall River. Upon arrival, officers found a 23-year-old Fall River man who had been shot in the upper left thigh which hit the femoral artery. Officer Hoar having assessed the seriousness of the injury applied a tourniquet to the victim. Officer Hoar carried this specific type of tourniquet and had knowledge of its proper use through his military training. The trauma doctor at Rhode Island Hospital verified that had it not been for the application of the tourniquet there is a good chance the man would have died. With Mechanics Cooperative Bank’s support, these military-grade tourniquets will now be standard issue equipment for all Police Officers in the City of Fall River.
Joseph T. Baptista, Jr., President and CEO of Mechanics Cooperative Bank said, “When Mechanics Cooperative Bank was approached with the opportunity to help the City of Fall River and their Police Department with this life-saving equipment, we were more than happy to help. These military-grade tourniquets can make all the difference in a survival situation for both officers and citizens alike; and as first-responders, we feel the Fall River Police Department should have the very best life-saving equipment available.”
These units are a true one-handed tourniquet system proven to be 100% effective by the U.S. Army’s Institute of Surgical Research. Tests have proven that these new tourniquets completely occluded blood flow of an extremity in the event of a traumatic wound with significant hemorrhage while utilizing a durable windlass system with a patented free-moving internal band. Once adequately tightened, bleeding will cease and the windlass is locked into place helping to stabilize the victim until further medical support is available. These innovative tourniquets use a unique dual securing system that avoids the use of screws and clips which can become difficult to operate under survival stress or where fine motor skills are compromised. The patented Combat Application Tourniquet® (C-A-T®) featuring the proprietary red tip design and the mechanical advantage of a band within a band has been the Official Tourniquet of the U.S. Army since 2005. We are proud to say that they will be issued to every single police officer in the Fall River Police Department.
“Without this support and commitment from Mechanics Cooperative Bank, and their President and CEO Joseph Baptista, the Police Department would not be able to outfit all of our officers with this life-saving equipment.” said Jasiel F. Correia II, Mayor of the City of Fall River. “We could not be more thankful to have such a great local partner like Mechanics Cooperative Bank and we appreciate their generosity in the name of improving our community and social services.”
About Mechanics Cooperative Bank:
Founders of the Let’s Keep it Local! movement. With total assets over $500 million, Mechanics Cooperative Bank offers a wide variety of personal and business deposit and loan products. As a Massachusetts co-operative bank, 100% of customers’ deposits are always fully insured. Established in 1877, Mechanics Cooperative Bank is Massachusetts’ second-oldest co-operative bank with eight conveniently located branches in Bridgewater, Taunton, North Dighton, Somerset, Swansea, Fall River and Westport. For more information, call 1-888-MECHANICS (632-4264) or visit Mechanics-Coop.com. Member FDIC. Member SIF. Equal Housing Lender.
Picture Caption:
(From left to right) Fall River Acting Police Chief, Albert Dupere, President and CEO of Mechanics Cooperative Bank, Joseph T. Baptista, Jr., Jasiel F. Correia II, Mayor, City of Fall River, Chief of Staff and Retired Fall River Police Sgt. Michael Hoar and Officer Nicholas Hoar.
