The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office will be adding 20 new Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) on the road thanks to recent grant funding to our office by the Gila River Indian Community. Our office was just notified they will be providing $30,694.06 in funding.
The new units will bring the total number of AEDs in the field used by patrol deputies to 44. During the past eighteen months, our office has received 12 “AED’s” from the “Joe Gibson Memorial Foundation” and 12 from the “National Rifle Association” through a grant.
The 5,369 square miles which make up Pinal County is primarily comprised of unincorporated areas with PCSO deputies providing first responder service for emergency and medical calls. Pinal County is in fact larger than 3 U.S. States.
Upon being elected in 2008, Sheriff Babeu required all sworn deputies to take Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) recertification training. During January of 2011, deputies were trained to use AEDs. During the past four years we have been able to cut emergency response times in half.
When PCSO dispatch receives an emergency call involving a person not breathing, deputies are dispatched and many times they arrive on scene before medical responders due to the large geographical area. Because the chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest decreases by 10% every minute, defibrillators must be administered quickly following a collapse.
On Monday November 5th, 2012 at 11 a.m. seven Pinal County Sheriff’s employees will be recognized by Rural Metro Fire Department and Sheriff Babeu for lives they saved by using either CPR or AEDs. The event will be held at Rural/Metro Fire Station 843 in Copper Basin (28353 N. Main Street, San Tan Valley).
- On September 22nd, 2012 Deputies Tyler Fisher and Guy Carino responded to a residence regarding a male subject who was not breathing. Deputies arrived to the call within one minute and immediately utilized an AED and CPR. The subject began breathing on his own but stopped breathing once again a short time later. The deputies continued to provide treatment utilizing the AED and CPR until medical personnel arrived. Once medics arrived, they took over the medical treatment. The subject was taken to a local hospital where he made a full recovery.
- On October 5th, 2012 Deputies Paul Dudish and Jonathan Poterson responded to a residence regarding a child choking on a carrot. Deputies arrived at the residence within a few minutes and immediately provided medical assistance to help dislodge the carrot from the child’s airway with the help of medics. The child made a full recovery.
- On October 23rd, 2012 Lt Ruben Leos, Deputy Chad Lakosky and Deputy Edward Castro responded to a residence regarding a 70-year-old male who was unconscious and not breathing. The reporting party also reported that a neighbor was attempting to start CPR. With the area being remote, medical response was extended up to twenty minutes and Lt Leos was in the area, arriving on scene within 7 minutes of the call. Lt Leos observed a man unconscious and blue with another man attempting to give CPR compressions, Lt Leos immediately began giving mouth to mask air to the patient while the neighbor continued with chest compressions. Deputy Lakosky arrived and took over chest compressions with the Lt continuing to give the patient breaths. Deputy Castro arrived and assisted the units with CPR until the first ambulance arrived on scene. EMS arrived on scene and while deputies continued CPR they hooked up the patient to an AED, administering a shock and they were able to obtain a pulse after using an AED. EMS took over treatment and the patient was transported to a local hospital. The man made a full recovery.
Below is another example of a life which was saved by the use of an AED.
- On June 16, 2011, a deputy responded to a call of a 76-year-old male subject who had stopped breathing. A deputy arrived within minutes and immediately began performing life saving measures on the victim. After using Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and using an AED the victim began to breath. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he made a full recovery.
Sheriff Babeu stated, “Protecting and serving the public is what the men and women who wear our badge do day in and day out. The Gila River Indian Community has been a strong partner and supporter of our efforts. This vital funding to purchase AEDs will undoubtedly save countless lives over the years. I am proud of our deputies and thankful for the number of lives they have saved thanks to this equipment and training”.