Since 2014, Spirit of Blue has granted 4,420 tourniquets to law enforcement officers, resulting in 14 saves.  13 of those saves were with officers using their granted equipment to save a member the community.  However, in 2019, one of those granted tourniquets played a role in saving the life of a police officer:

On June 11, 2019, Kentucky State Police Trooper Brad Martin was taking part in serving a warrant in Perry County, Kentucky when he was fired upon.  Moving up a driveway that split to two houses at the end, the next door neighbor to the home the troopers were moving towards observed the troopers, wrongly assumed they were coming for him and opened fire.  Trooper Martin was struck in the thigh.  Other troopers with him quickly got him to cover, applied a tourniquet and rushed him to a local medical center for treatment.  The tourniquet, a mandatory wear item as part of each Kentucky State Police trooper’s uniform, had been issued to each trooper just months before as a result of a Spirit of Blue grant.  Trooper Martin made a full recovery and returned to duty weeks later, crediting his survival to his fellow troopers on the scene and the tourniquet that was applied.

“On June 11, 2019 I was participating in a warrant service when I was shot in the left thigh.  By the grace of God, I am still here today,” shared Trooper Martin.  “The prompt application of the tourniquet and quick action by my fellow brothers played a major part in limiting the extent of my injury and my ability to recover.” 

Trooper Dan Smoot assessed the wound while Trooper Josh Richardson applied the granted tourniquet.  Trooper Chad Daniels helped the other two carry Trooper Martin to the patrol car used to transport Martin to the Hazard Appalachian Regional Medical Treatment Center.  The quick and professional action of these three troopers ensured Trooper Martin survived the encounter.