Churches in New Jersey Getting ‘Bleeding Control Kits’

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(TNS) – Members from different houses of worship were invited earlier this month to gather at Guru Nanak Mission Gurudwara, a worship space for Sikhs in Oakland in Bergen County.

But, they weren’t there for a worship service. Instead, they gathered on a Friday night to participate in a training session and receive a key item — a bleeding control kit.

The state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness began distributing bleeding control kits to thousands of houses of worship in New Jersey this month. The kits are designed to give churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship medical items to treat victims of potential active shooters before first responders arrive at the scene.

The state will provide roughly 7,100 bleeding control kits to 6,400 houses of worship within one year as part of the program’s first phase, officials said.

“We’re not looking to essentially train doctors,” said Indy Samra, a member of the executive council of the Homeland Security office’s Interfaith Advisory Council, who helped coordinate the session. “We’re providing everyday individuals with the means to provide first aid.”

Samra often reaches out to Sikh and Hindu communities as part of his role on the committee. Representatives of Christian, Jewish and Islamic communities are also on the advisory council.

The program, which officials launched March 8, was created to bridge the gap between awareness and practical knowledge for mass casualty events, as well as help foster relationships between religious communities and law enforcement officers.

Members of the New Jersey State Police were also present at the event for “Chai with a Cop,” a spin on the traditional “Coffee with a Cop” initiative tailored to the Sikh and Hindu communities, said Samra.

Two emergency medicine doctors with ties to the community also used their expertise to help with the training, said Samra, who also co-chairs the state’s chapter of the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce .

“We’re trying to actively bridge connections between our places of worship and local police forces, ensuring that they’re acquainted with the spaces,” he said. “We’re hoping to get to a place where we’re able to implement active shooter drills in these houses of worship.”

The training comes a month after the publication of the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness’ latest annual threat assessment report, which says homegrown violent extremists and white supremacists present the greatest threat to New Jersey.

In a release, officials said domestic extremists and homegrown violent extremists carried out 16 attacks on soft targets from 2018 to 2022, resulting in 60 deaths and 66 injuries.

Hard targets refer to institutions like courthouses or police departments that are patrolled and fortified, while soft targets are more vulnerable to attacks. They include schools, hospitals and houses of worship.

The distribution of the bleeding kits comes after several high profile shootings and attacks on houses of worship, including the Feb. 11 shooting at Lakewood Church, pastor Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston. The shooter was killed in the incident and two others were injured.

The plan to distribute the bleeding kits in New Jersey, which predates the Lakewood Church shooting, is purely a precaution, state officials said.

“Our hope is that no one ever has to use these kits,” said Laurie Doran, the director of the state’s Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.

The kits include: a combat application tourniquet, a four-inch emergency pressure bandage, compressed crinkle gauze, two chest seals, medical gloves and trauma shears.

Each kit costs about $56, which amounts to nearly $400,000 to pay for all the kits being distributed, said Maria Prato, a spokeswoman for the office. They were funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of a national “Stop the Bleed” awareness campaign.

“While many religious organizations have become more vigilant with mitigating risks and threat levels, the quick action of bystanders can drastically improve the survivability of the wounded as they wait for first responder’s arrival,” said Doran. “Equipping houses of worship and parishioners with vital training and lifesaving kits will better prepare them for an incident.”

Hundreds of houses of worship are on the office’s list to get kits. But, officials are also coordinating with county emergency management agencies and leading faith-based groups, including the dioceses within the Catholic Church, to help with further distributions, officials said.

Officials want to initially provide each house of worship in the state with at least one kit.

“Our Interfaith Advisory Council Executive Committee, made up of representatives from across the State’s major faith-based groups, has played a pivotal part in the rollout of this program, in both in facilitating connections and identifying need-based priorities,” said Dan Engelhardt, the office’s deputy director.

Feedback about the training session at the Sikh temple in Bergen County earlier this month was positive, Samra said. He hopes those who participated feel better prepared after the training, which was recorded and will be shared with other houses of worship.

He pointed to a shooting at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2012, as a reason to remain ready for potential violence.

“We don’t want to scare anybody or instill fear, but similar to the fire drills, we want people to be prepared,” he said.

Houses of worship interested in obtaining a kit can start by filling out a survey at Bit.ly/njohspbleedkits, officials said. Any other questions can be directed to bleedkits@NJOHSP.gov.

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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com.