July 25, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourarvadanews.com
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 9, Issue 9
Council approves Wal-Mart Arvada Plaza redevelopment passes 6-1 following public hearing By Sara Van Cleve
svancleve@ourcoloradonews.com
Arvada Police Officer Mike Brumbaugh explains how to use a tourniquet that all officers have been issued as part of their medical kits received following training that can save their lives and those of citizens during emergencies. Photos by Sara Van Cleve
Training to save lives Police receive emergency medical training By Sara Van Cleve
svancleve@ourcoloradonews.com Arvada Police recently completed special training with one goal in mind — saving lives. Arvada Police officers and detectives recently completed medical training in addition to their American Red Cross first aid certification and were issued kits to use during emergencies that include a tourniquet, combat gauze and trauma dressing. “It was brought to the police department as a step forward in the training we’re already doing,” said Officer Mike Brumbaugh, who administered the program. “With the response to active shooter, Boston, all the things going on — Aurora, Connecticut, Wisconsin, just nationwide — and the trends and the way we are starting to push officers into the front lines and immediate response to an active shooter, giving them a little bit more ability to help treat themselves and help treat victims is a big deal. The necessity to do it quickly is a big deal too.” The majority of Arvada Police officers received training on how to use the tourniquet and wound dressings in the kits they were given to carry in their patrol cars or on their person should they need to assist an injured person. All three items in the Individual Patrol Officer’s Kit provided by North American Rescue serve one purpose — to stop the bleeding, and in turn, save a life. The tourniquet is used to stop bleeding on the limbs. The combat gauze, which has a coagulating and clotting material on it, can be used on other parts of the body to stop bleeding. The trauma dressing can be used to stop bleeding or add pressure to an already-dressed wound. Officers were trained how to dress their own wounds and those of others during their training. “The idea is to be able to fight through it and keep going, depending on how bad their injury is, and to help the citizens as
‘The idea is to be able to fight through it and keep going, depending on how bad their injury is.’ Officer Mike Brumbaugh
The kits include a C-A-T tourniquet, emergency trauma dressing, hemostatic dressing and gloves. The majority of Arvada Police officers have received training on how to use these devices to stop bleeding and save lives.
much as you can if you can possibly do that,” Brumbaugh said. Increasing medical training for officers is a growing trend across the United States, Brumbaugh said. “Financially, it’s an extensive proposition to roll out the program to the entire department, but there are departments nationwide that have training. It’s a growing trend to start in this direction. It’s not that the police department is taking over any medical duties, but in immediate response to the life threatening bleeding, that’s the biggest thing.” Supplies for the program cost the police department about $17,000 initially as well as training time, but the financial cost is a small one to pay if it means saving lives. “In talking with Chief of Police (Don Wick) and the command staff, I think the idea of being able to save a single person’s life is worth the cost of the entire program,” Brumbaugh said. “Saving a single person’s life with the medical equipment and training is absolutely worth that small amount in the grand scope of things.” The quick medical response, and specifically the use of tourniquets, saved many, many lives the day of the Boston Marathon bombing, Brumbaugh said. “Without having a medical response as fast as they did, it would have been a lot worse,” he said. “The more ability to Training continues on Page 9
Arvada City Council approved the redevelopment of the Arvada Plaza to include a full Wal-Mart store following a public hearing. Council approved the plans 6-1 at about 12:35 a.m. Tuesday, July 16, with Mayor Pro Tem Rachel Zenzinger voting against the motion. Hundreds of people gathered at City Hall for the public hearing at 6:30 p.m., Monday, July 15. The conditional-use permit for a financial institution with a drive-through passed 7-0. The council chambers and two overflow rooms were filled throughout the night as 16 people, including Arvada Chamber of Commerce President Dot Wright, spoke in favor of the redevelopment, and 35 individuals and the organized group Stop Arvada Walmart spoke in opposition. An additional 41 in support and 306 opposed signed in, but did not wish to speak. Residents voiced their opinions following a presentation by the owner and developer Industrial Realty Group (IRG) of Torrance, Calif., discussion of the WalMart’s preliminary development plans and a presentation by Arvada Urban Renewal Authority Executive Director Maureen Phair outlining the public-private partnership. “I’ve watched the blight for several years in this area and when Wal-Mart stepped up to the plate, I was flabbergasted,” said resident Eddie Lyons, who lives within a few blocks of the location. “I couldn’t believe that someone in these days had the courage to come into our city and take a hold of it … you don’t realize blight until it goes away. I am totally supporting Maureen’s engine. Get on it full-steam ahead, and get some money for our recreation. I love the idea of a recreation site on the north side of Ralston Road. We need to get these things going, and now is the time to get in there and do it.” With the public-private partnership that was approved by council 6-1 with Zenzinger voting no, AURA will be refunding $5.8 million to IRG to help fund the $9.1 million in public improvements being made to the city by IRG. Public improvements include remediation, site preparation, demolition, storm drainage, sewer lines, retaining walls, relocation of power lines, the widening of Ralston Road and Independence Street, the narrowing of 57th Avenue, streetscape and consultants. The 3 percent public improvement fee, or PIF, is collected in lieu of the city’s Walmart continues on Page 9s
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