Bucks County first responders sending tactical gear, PPE to Ukraine

Police officers with the Falls Township Police Department and employees of Lower Bucks Hospital are sending materials and supplies to Ukraine as they face continued attacks from Russia. FOX 29's JoAnn Pileggi has more.

BUCKS COUNTY, Pa - As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, many are sending donations, including local first responders.

As the war rages on, law enforcement officers in Bucks County have gathered nearly $100,000 worth of ballistic vests and other equipment to send to Ukrainians as they try to defend their country from Russian troops.

"Since we can't be there to help, we're going to do as much as we can here," said Falls Township police officer Dean Stecklair, who has family in Ukraine.

Police in Falls Township met with members of Bucks County's Ukrainian community as they prepared to send supplies.

"It is our hope that this will provide some measure of relief and aid directly from the men and women of the Falls Township Police Department to those who are in danger in Ukraine, said Chief Nelson Whitney.

Lower Bucks Hospital employees of Ukrainian heritage also collected donations of gloves, gowns and other PPE materials to send to the country.

Eleanor Plavenik, an ultrasound tech at the hospital, is worried about her relatives in Kharkiv, close to the Russian border.

She says sending supplies is the least she can do at such a difficult time.

The supplies from the hospital and police department are being sent by air to Poland and then they will be transported to Ukraine.

The department is requesting the following items as donations:

• Radio sets (multiple items)

• Arresting bleeding tourniquet C.A.T.

• 4" Israeli bandage with pressure bar

• Hemostatic saturated blood stopping compression roller bandage for tamponade

• Nasopharyngeal airway (different sizes)

• Occlusal bandage halo chest seal

• Needle decompression