Ramapo Police Officer Saves a Life with quick action using Tourniquet

By: Yitzy Fried  

A victim involved in a car crash in the Wesley Hills neighborhood is lucky to be alive today after losing much blood, and nearly bleeding out. 

It seems that the victim was hit in such a way that ruptured an arterial nerve, which results in a huge amount of blood loss. 

A Rockland Daily reporter who was on the scene reports seeing a large amount of blood on the ground. 

But then RPD officer Valerie Mendez came on the scene and tended to the victims’ hand laceration. When common techniques did not work to stop the bleeding, she applied a tourniquet, which did work, and according to first responders, likely saved the victims’ life. 

According a RPD statement, “Officer Mendez credits her proficiency to RPD’s practical active shooter training, in which department surgeon Dr. Jeff Rabrich instructs and supervises tourniquet application in high-stress environments.” 

The department congratulated officer Mendez for “a job well done.”

Photo Credit: Naftuli Berger