The Spirit of Blue Foundation announced today that Combat Medical Systems (www.combatmedicalsystems.com) is officially joining the Spirit of Blue Campaign as a Safety Grant Sponsor. Combat Medical Systems was founded by a team of experienced military medical personnel and industry product specialists whose primary goal is to simplify tactical medicine in order to decrease pre-hospital mortality.

"Everyone here at Combat Medical Systems is excited to join the Spirit of Blue Campaign," said Jason Cauley, Director of Public Affairs for CMS. "The necessity for our officers nationwide to have both the equipment and the training needed to perform emergency casualty care and self-care can literally mean the difference between life and death across the spectrum of U.S. law enforcement. Our team at CMS is proud to do everything we can to increase awareness through this very important campaign."

"The biggest medical need for law enforcement centers around self-care," also stated Ryan T. Smith, Vice Chairman of the Spirit of Blue Foundation. "Before EMS or paramedics can render aid there is a gap that an officer needs to fill on their own or for a partner. Combat Medical Systems has simplified tactical medicine and provides tremendous tools to fill that gap. Even something as simple as every officer carrying a tourniquet and clotting agent, and being trained to use them, can make a tremendous difference."

Five non-profit organizations actively supporting the law enforcement community have already teamed up with the Spirit of Blue Foundation for the 2011 holiday campaign that launched in October. Those organizations - The National Troopers Coalition, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National Sheriff's Association, Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and the Jeffrey S. Parola Foundation - represent roughly 125,000 officers, deputies and agents nationwide.

As partners they are promoting the sale of the Spirit of Blue's blue ribbon holiday wreath honoring and benefitting the law enforcement community. Consumers who purchase the product during the Campaign will be allowed to select which non-profit they would like to see benefitted from the sale and the Foundation will donate a portion of the proceeds accordingly. At the same time, consumers will be asked to nominate a law enforcement agency that they would like to be considered to receive a safety grant award. At the end of the Campaign, the Spirit of Blue Safety Grant Program randomly selects nominated law enforcement agencies to receive a safety grant award. The safety grants will be redeemable exclusively through the consortium of Safety Grant Partners made up of law enforcement equipment brands such as Combat Medical Systems.

Preliminary statistics through October 2011 released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, in conjunction with Concerns of Police Survivors, revealed the number of U.S. law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty rose 21% percent over the same period in 2010. Firearm-related deaths reached 53, an increase of 29% from the same period in 2010. The reality of these statistics and the increasing number of underfunded law enforcement agencies across the country fueled the safety grant initiative.

The Spirit of Blue Foundation, along with Combat Medical Systems, is asking consumers to 'get in the Spirit of Blue' this holiday season by purchasing the Spirit of Blue Wreath and giving back to the law enforcement community. The wreaths are available for purchase through December 19th and winners of safety grants will be announced in early February 2012. To learn more about the Spirit of Blue campaign, or to order a Spirit of Blue Wreath, visit www.spiritofblue.com.

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The Spirit of Blue Foundation, Inc., based out of Chicago, IL, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of officer safety and vitality throughout the law enforcement community by promoting public awareness for their protection and fulfilling safety equipment and training needs. The Spirit of Blue Foundation develops and executes fundraising campaigns on a national level with the support of partner non-profits and equipment brands. The Foundation's portion of fundraising proceeds are distributed in the form of Safety Equipment Grants to law enforcement agencies from local to federal levels.