This project supplies the volunteer first responders in Iowa and Nebraska with pediatric trauma kits.  These kits contain emergency equipment specially designed in a range of sizes for use on children 18 years old and younger.  Most volunteer squads don't have a budget that allows them to purchase such specialized equipment. 

Our Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District Foundation and the Kiwanis Clubs across Iowa and Nebraska have provided over 500 of these kits to dedicated volunteer first responder squads in the two states.  Kiwanis has spent over $300,000 on this project over the past seven years.  All volunteer first responders in Nebraska now have these specialized kits, but Iowa has many more squads that still need our help.

These kits have been used by many squads in the two states.  Two dramatic events are worth noting.

A doctor in Omaha wrote us a letter after he had treated a young boy from Norfolk, Nebraska.  He wanted us to know that in his opinion the young boy only made it to the emergency room alive because the first responders squad that arrived had the equipment they needed. 

A young lady in Solon, Iowa had her heart stop on the playground at school one day.  The first responders, using one of these kits, were able to revive her so quickly that there should be no damage to her brain.  We were told that such a favorable outcome is very rare in these cases.

The Marion Metro Kiwanis Club, our sponsoring club, purchased one of these kits several years ago for the Hiawatha Fire Department.  We will be joining them along with the Cedar Rapids Kiwanis Club to spearhead this project with the other Kiwanis clubs in Iowa to accomplish placing one of these kits in EVERY volunteer first responders squad in Iowa.