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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Life-saving tools are now in the hands of local law enforcement thanks to a generous donation from a local organization.

The Police Foundation of Colorado Springs has donated trauma kits to both the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. 

More than 700 of the kits will be donated over the next two years.

The Police Foundation of Colorado Springs said the kits were made possible by donations from the Denver-based Anschutz Foundation and the El Paso County Emergency Services Agency.

The kits will help officers and deputies be better prepared for whatever the job brings.

"I think it's something that we've all known we need in our patrol cars," El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said.

The kits contain life-saving equipment like a tourniquet, blood clotting solution and a chest seal.

"It seems like very minimal stuff, but it's all critical stuff needed when you have bad trauma," Brett Iverson, a CSPD officer, said.

Officers and deputies will receive the kits after they are trained on its contents.

"We had a full day training, so it's about 10 hours of training. It's just understanding what the different components are, how they work, how to apply them, or the best scenarios to apply them in, and then also putting us through some different scenarios to give you that little bit of stress level," Iverson said.

Iverson added the kits will be crucial in situations where medical personnel is being kept back from a crime scene.

"An active gunman, if we have people who are wounded inside of a building or officers who get shot and go down, it's not safe to bring those medical crew in at that point. That's where we would render that aid, saving those very valuable seconds or minutes to save their lives," Iverson said.

"I don't think there is any more of a situation to leave a law enforcement officer feeling helpless then to be there with somebody who may have suffered a gun shot wound, a stab wound, or even in a vehicle accident, and know what needs to be done and not have the tools to do it, not have the tools to engage in possibly saving somebody's life," Maketa said.

"Just knowing that I have those tools where I don't have to sit there and watch someone bleed out, I can truly make a difference when the seconds count. It's just awesome to know that I have that ability," Iverson said.

Both Maketa and Colorado Springs Police Chief Pete Carey expressed their gratitude Thursday during a press conference.

Carey said it is his hope that every police officer and police cruiser will have a kit.

"The fact is whether it's a criminal instance or a serious car wreck, minutes and even seconds can make the difference between life and death, and in those few minutes our officers and our citizens deserve the best equipment possible," Carey said.

"I hope the kits are never used, but when they are it could mean the difference between life and death," Maketa said.

Iverson said the kits may be able to change the outcome of tragic situations.

"One of the examples I think back to that possibly could have turned out different was the New Life shooting that we had here in town, and any shooting for that matter where we come on victims. But we found that young lady in the parking lot who had been shot, had we had this kit at that time you never know things could have turned out different, depending on how bad her wounds were," he said.

The trauma kit looks just like a first aid kit but packs much more life saving potential.

"A small thing that can make a huge impact," Iverson said.