Portable devices critical for cardiac arrest victims in rural communities

Divine Savior Healthcare is proud to donate two automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to local law enforcement agencies in its continuous effort to improve quality care, services and access for Portage and Columbia County residents.

Detective Klaude Thompson from the Portage Police Department and Lt. Roger Brandner from the Columbia County Sheriff's Department accepted their respective donations Friday.

AEDs are lightweight, portable devices that provide an electrical shock capable of restoring the normal heart rhythm of cardiac arrest victims. Access to an AED within five minutes of a cardiac arrest has been shown to greatly improve chances of survival.

"We know EMS can do so much more if the defibrillation process has already begun when they arrive," Ahola said. "Equipping the cars with AEDs enhances our partnership with local law enforcement and allows us to do more for cardiac arrest victims."

Above (l-r): Lt. Roger Brandner, Columbia County Sheriff's Department, stands with Laura Ahola, Director of EMS at Divine Savior, Detective Thompson, Portage Police Department, and the two units that are now equipped with AEDs.

Former Divine Savior EMS Director Jim Swan has applied for the Rural Access to Emergency Devices (RAED) Grant Program for the past three grant cycles. As a result, Divine Savior Healthcare has been able to donate AEDs to the Portage Fire Department, Portage Police Department, Columbia County Sheriff's Department and Cascade Mountain Ski Patrol in past years.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides funds to increase access to on-the-spot help for people who suffer heart attacks in rural America. The RAED grants go to rural communities to purchase FDA-approved AEDs and to train emergency and community personnel in their proper use.

Because law enforcement personnel are often the first to arrive at the scene of a cardiac-related incident, especially in rural communities, having ready access to AEDs is critical. "The presence of our cars throughout the county means that often times we are the first to respond - the AEDs are an important addition to our equipment," Lt. Brandner said.

The Portage Police Department has been raising funds since 2002 to equip all of its patrol cars with the devices. Thanks to the donation from Divine Savior Healthcare, that goal has now been met. Twenty-two officers are certified with the defibrillator, and seven squad cars are now equipped with AEDs. The department credits two saved lives in 2004 to AED devices in its squads.

Detective Thompson, who works with many crowd control situations at school and sporting events, said he's excited to now have an AED in his car. "Having access to one more defibrillator opens a lot of possibilities for a lot more saved lives," he said.

A similar goal has been met for the Columbia County Sheriff's Department. "This donation will help equip each of our 24 patrol units with defibrillators," Lt. Brandner said. All deputies are certified for the devices, and the department has saved three lives with the AED units since implementation.

Both the Police Department's and Sheriff's Department's AED units have been made possible by donations from many local businesses and community members. "It would have taken a few more years for us to get to this level without the community support we've experienced," Lt. Brandner said.