EMS teams with law enforcement to save lives

By: By Gracie Hart Orange County Review | Orange County Review
Published: June 25, 2009

Orange County Fire and EMS officers, in conjunction with law enforcement officials, have introduced an innovative program they believe will help save lives.
According to training captain Tom Joyce, the program is designed to minimize the time between when a patient suffers cardiac arrest and when the first care is administered. Because EMS officers are placed in static locations within their district while law enforcement is roving throughout the area, Joyce said it makes sense for law enforcement officials to have the training and equipment necessary to deal with cardiac arrest situations until EMS can arrive on the scene.
"Defibrillators and CPR training will be given to all law enforcement officials," Joyce said. "We strongly hope this will increase survivability."
Officer David Richardson, a police officer with the Town of Orange, may be the poster child for this new program. Since his first day on the job, February 17, Richardson has administered CPR to the three cardiac arrest situations occurring within the area.
One of these situations occurred April 30 when Wylie Herndon's car went off the road near the CVS on Rt. 15. Herndon had lost control of the car when he went into cardiac arrest. If not for Richardson, and the help of CVS employee and fire department volunteer Jamie Colvin, plus an unidentified third party, Herndon might not have survived the incident.
Both Richardson and Colvin received commendations for their help during Herndon's accident. Richardson also received commendations for the two other cardiac arrest situations that he has been involved with.
According to Joyce, the defibrillators should be in the cars and the CPR training should be completed by the end of July.
"We hope this will let citizens know that we are trying to increase their chances of survival," he said.

EMS teams with law enforcement to save lives

Share This:

More from this channel:

Reader Comments

Post a Comment (Please Sign In | Register)

Deal of the Day

Snap Photos

Weather