Bergen County equips East Rutherford-area police with bleeding-control kits ahead of World Cup matches

Bergen County is adding bleeding-control equipment to local law-enforcement preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the distribution announced May 29 at the East Rutherford Police Department.

The Bergen County Office of Emergency Management said it distributed bleeding-control “Blast Kits” to police departments near MetLife Stadium and Overpeck County Park. The equipment is part of emergency-response planning for the large crowds expected around World Cup events in the stadium area.

The announcement places the distribution in East Rutherford, where MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup matches, including the tournament final. The East Rutherford Police Department, at 117 Stanley Street, served as the announcement site.

Federal grant funded the equipment

Bergen County OEM purchased the kits with fiscal year 2023 Urban Area Security Initiative funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The county said the equipment cost approximately $12,732.

The UASI funding is being used for bleeding-control supplies intended to add trauma-response equipment for local law enforcement. The purchase reflects the broader public-safety planning required for an international tournament that will bring match activity to the Bergen County stadium area.

The effort involves local, state and federal coordination for emergency response and public-safety preparedness. For East Rutherford and nearby communities, the equipment distribution is one component of preparations connected to the eight scheduled matches at MetLife Stadium.

Distribution details

The county announcement did not identify the number of kits distributed or provide a department-by-department list of recipients. It described the recipients generally as Bergen County police departments located near MetLife Stadium and Overpeck County Park.

That geographic focus connects the equipment to two locations expected to be part of the area’s tournament-related activity. MetLife Stadium is the match venue, while Overpeck County Park is also included in the county’s description of the police agencies receiving the kits.

The May 29 announcement establishes that the purchase was completed and the kits were distributed as part of World Cup preparations. It does not identify a particular match-day deployment or specify additional distribution dates.

The World Cup preparations will continue across the agencies involved in emergency response and public safety. In East Rutherford, the county’s equipment purchase gives nearby law-enforcement departments bleeding-control supplies before the stadium hosts eight tournament matches, including the final.