FROM GRIMES COUNTY INVESTIGATOR JAMES ELLIS
I have a very exciting project I have been working on since December of 2018 and everything is finally coming together!
During the planning stages for an active attack event in our county, I noticed our local schools do not have enough equipment to treat heavy trauma. As you all know, being a Rural County, the response time for Medical Personnel to our Schools can be delayed or extended.
I wanted to properly equip our Teachers and classrooms to treat our kids as effectively as possible in the event we ever experience anything this tragic. This requires having access to a Basic Individual First Aid Kits (IFAK’s).
Through Sgt Blake Baldobino, I reached out to Lori Gaines, a Paramedic in Austin County, who has worked on a similar project for Austin County School Districts. Mrs. Gaines provided me with all the information I needed and a contact point for a Medical source to obtain these kits.
I reached out to all our local School Campuses, (Anderson-Shiro ISD, Highpoint Elementary, Iola ISD, and Richards ISD) and inquired about the number of classrooms occupied by a Teacher or Students during normal business hours. I wanted to put these kits in EVERY classroom. I also wanted to put the IFAK’s in common areas such as the Library, Gym, Cafeteria, and Main Offices. After compiling numbers for all Campuses, I found I needed well over 200 kits.
I reached out to Bound Tree Medical, LLC and spoke with Craig Gray, a Sales Associate. We spoke on the phone for well over an hour and he would later provide me a quote. These kits are STOP THE BLEED and are approved by the Department of Defense. With the monetary figures in hand, I teamed up with several Officers in the County to include, Constable Blake Jarvis, Captain Ryan Rutledge, and Sgt Blake Baldobino. We started making phone calls and traveling to some of our local Businesses to present the idea. The total amount needed being raised in less than a week!!! Each and every person I spoke with or we presented the idea to were 100% supportive and on board to help.
Prior to these kits being deployed to our Schools, the Sheriff’s Office is providing the training required for proper use of each item contained in this kit free of charge. The Sheriff’s Office will also host training Seminars prior to each Semester beginning to ensure all our Faculty members are up to speed on the proper use of this equipment.
This time is being donated. With that being said, this entire project will not cost taxpayers a single cent to implement!
I can’t say thank you enough to Greene and Cathy Smith with SCON Services, Scott Fennell with Scott Fennell Inc., Friends of Grimes County, Clay and Brandy Wright, Brett Bratcher with B&T Tactical, Lou Rissitto, Tammy Harvey and Lonestar Floor in Navasota for the donations. God forbid anything ever happen at one of our Schools in Grimes County, but if it does, you can ensure we are doing everything in our power to be ahead of the curve by being properly equipped and trained to handle it.
It is because of great business owners and citizens such as yourselves that make this community a great place to call home. Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart, you all make Grimes County proud!!!
