Forest Park — Back to the Heroes Rumble, a volunteer charity, presented life‑saving trauma kits to the Forest Park Police Department during the Forest Park City Council meeting, and city officials said the nonprofit’s goal is to equip each officer with a kit.

The donation emerged after Councilman Harrison brought the organization’s grant opportunity to the city’s attention earlier this year. Carl Whelan, founder of Back to the Heroes Rumble, told council the nonprofit’s Operation Open Arms program responds to funding requests from underfunded first‑responder agencies and that the kits are intended for both officers and community use. "Our goal is really simple. We wanna preserve the life in the line of duty for first responders and tackle the preventable causes of death in the line of duty," Whelan said.

Captain Adam Jones of the Forest Park Police Department described how the kits include chest seals and other equipment used to treat serious trauma. He said an officer on an earlier call used a seal from a personally owned kit to treat a chest wound, likely preventing a collapsed lung. "This is quality stuff. These are the kinds of things that save people's lives," Captain Jones said. Council members and city staff thanked Councilman Harrison for connecting the city with the group and thanked Back to the Heroes Rumble for the donation.

Whelan said the organization has provided equipment to 34 departments and roughly $67,000 in gear to date. Council and staff discussed how kits will be stocked and replenished; a Back to the Heroes Rumble representative said the group’s intent was "to make sure there's one for each officer, including the chief himself." There was no council vote attached to the donation presentation.

The council’s public discussion also included a brief reminder that the department had previously offered trauma‑kit training to city employees, and members encouraged residents to buy basic trauma supplies for home use if they chose. Officials said the donated kits will be used both in law‑enforcement responses and to assist community members at scenes when appropriate.