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People Trained In Emergency First Aid Hope To Provide Help To Injured Protesters

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — There have been the intense moments as peaceful protests in downtown Sacramento get shaken up.

Police have been using things like rubber bullets, pepper balls and tear gas as a non-lethal force to disperse protesters. But, those facing the full brunt of it still can get hurt pretty bad.

"You kind of look around realize you gotta do something and the only way to get medical at an event like this is to get arrested," Larry Klink, a protest medic, said.

Klink has been trained in emergency first aid since he was 18 and started an emergency hospital in Cambodia.

He and Earris Norman - who's also trained in emergency first aid - are in the mix of these protests as medics in a different kind of arena they strongly believe in.

READ: Protesters Gather At State Capitol For Fifth Day Of George Floyd Demonstrations

"I'm a firm believer in the fact that if you're firing a rubber bullet at somebody, you should probably know how to repair that damage. You should know the responsibility of the decision that you're making," Norman said.

The two are a part of a group of likewise trained people who are coming together during protests in Sacramento, putting their experience where their hearts are. The group is bringing things like wound wash, milk for eyes hit with tear gas or pepper spray and other heavy trauma treatment to aid injured protesters.

"They might be able to get some help. We hope we can help. If they weren't getting shot at in the first place, we wouldn't need to be here," he said.

They may not want recognition but they're proud to be there for those on the front-line demanding change.

"Anybody who's worked in our field knows city services can't enter what we call a hot zone. So we have to go in and do our best. Somebody's gotta be here to help," Norman said.

Klink told CBS13 currently there's an effort to try to raise money for protective gear like helmets to have during these protests.

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