Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office welcomes the expansion of a state safety initiative that will bring free life-saving equipment and training to religious schools across the state.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) announced that its Bleeding Control Kit Initiative for Houses of worship has been expanded to include eligible religious schools statewide.

Launched in March 2024 for houses of worship only, NJOHSP’s Bleeding Control Kit Initiative provides fully grant-funded bleeding control kits and training at no cost, in an effort to strengthen preparedness and life-saving readiness across the state’s faith-based communities. The kits are designed to help save lives during the critical minutes before paramedics and police arrive at an emergency. They contain supplies to control serious bleeding from traumatic injuries, including those that might occur during an active shooter situation.

“Expanding access to bleeding control kits and training to religious schools is an important step in strengthening school safety and emergency preparedness across our communities,” Shlomo Schorr, Director of Legislative Affairs for Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, said in a statement. “We commend NJOHSP for working proactively with faith-based institutions to ensure that schools have the tools and training necessary to respond in the critical moments before first responders arrive.

Eligible religious schools can receive kits and request in-person training by completing NJOHSP’s Houses of Worship Bleeding Control Kit Distribution Survey here.