Every second counts when someone is suffering from cardiac arrest and now Hilliard police officers can buy more time with defibrillators in every cruiser.
Twenty-nine automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, have been purchased at about $1,125 each and were installed in vehicles in January. The cost was split between the Hilliard Division of Police and Norwich Township Fire Department.
An AED is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It’s a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.
Officers are already trained to provide CPR to cardiac arrest victims when responding to scenes. Now, officers will be able to care for a person with confidence in the critical moments before EMS arrival using the defibrillator, said Hilliard Chief of Police Robert Fisher.
“It’s about getting the heart started as fast as possible,” Chief Fisher said. “At times, officers arrive to a scene first, and having an AED in every car allows us the opportunity to change the outcome of someone’s life.”
Using the AED requires no training, according to Norwich Township Fire Lt. Jeff Woodward. The machine walks the user through the process using specific step-by-step directions, such as peeling off backing to showing where on the body to place the patches.
“It takes the guesswork right out of it,” said Lt. Woodward, “all you need to know is how to turn it on and follow the directions.”
Research show survival rates drastically increase with early intervention. Survivability increases from 5 to 24 percent when an AED is used. “We already know that early defibrillation saves lives,” said Norwich Fire Chief Dave Baird. “Ensuring every Hilliard first responder is equipped with an AED results in a significant community impact.”
