OC Sheriff’s Office to put AEDs in Patrol Cars

Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw announces that eight Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s) will be placed in patrol cars to help provide medical assistance for citizens who are in cardiac arrest. Eight deputies, including all four Uniform Patrol Division Sergeants and one additional Uniform Patrol Deputy per shift will be equipped with the AED’s. Those deputies will receive training on June 24, after which the AED’s will be in the officers vehicles and ready for use. “If we (the Sheriff’s Office) arrive dispatched to a cardiac arrest call and arrive prior to paramedics’ arrival, we will have the ability to assess the patient and see if they have a pulse and are conscious,” says Captain Jeff Underwood of the Uniform Patrol Division. “At that time, we can place the pads from the machine onto the patient, which can detect a pulse or lack of a pulse and then deliver, if necessary, a shock to place the heart back into rhythm if the patient has been in cardiac arrest.” The four additional officers who will have AED’s are deputies who’s primary patrol area is the Walhalla area, where according to Captain Underwood, studies of data on response times indicate that deputies were most often arriving to cardiac calls prior to EMS arrival The decision to place them in the Road Patrol Sergeant’s vehicles, according to Captain Underwood, had more to do with the fact that those deputies not being tied up on a call due to their management duties on the road and being in a better position to respond countywide. “Officers assigned to specific areas answer the most calls,” says Captain Underwood. “So, if they are tied up on one call, they may not be able to get to the cardiac call. This creates the likelihood of getting a machine to a patient. Any doctor or cardiologist will tell you that the most critical moments in a cardiac arrest is the first few minutes,” continues Captain Underwood. “As the clock ticks, the chances for resuscitation grow slimmer so by doing this we are increasing the chances of saving lives countywide.” According to Captain Underwood, every officer on the Uniform Patrol will also be receiving CPR training.