Inmate suffers electrical shock, AED used

[JetPhoto 626]

From the Times Herald Record

I guess he got spared a death sentance....

Inmate suffers electrical shock

July 11, 2007

Wallkill - An inmate at Shawangunk Correctional Facility suffered an electrical shock and was knocked unconscious while repairing a light fixture this morning. He was revived by prison personnel relying on a portable heart defibrilator.

The 59-year-old prisoner, whose name was not released pending notification of his family, was standing on a Fiberglas stepladder, repairing a 277-volt lighting fixture at the maximum security facility when the accident occured, according to Linda Foglia, a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Corrections.

A civilian electrician grabbed the man but was not injured.

The inmate was treated with the defibrillator and received CPR from the facility's emergency medical staff, Foglia said. He was transported to Albany Medical Center for further treatment.

The inmate had five years' experience in the department's training program, she said.

[jack10562 414]

From the Times Herald Record

I guess he got spared a death sentance....

He is VERY lucky. 277v power kills very easily.

Even hours later the heart can stop again.

He's not out of the woods, yet.

[Medic5274 45]

He is VERY lucky. 277v power kills very easily.

Even hours later the heart can stop again.

He's not out of the woods, yet.

Safety note to everyone out there. 277 volts are often used to supply flurecent light in commercial type strucutres. They are different from the flurecent lights that run on a ballst that are oftern encountered in private homes. they should be handled with extreme care if you have to work them at a fire scene

[Monty 35]

He is VERY lucky. 277v power kills very easily.

Even hours later the heart can stop again.

He's not out of the woods, yet.

Thanks - you make me feel very special Growing up in England, and being a 'curious' kid - I received numerous 240V shocks. I don't think it effected me. Actually - wait a minute. Maybe it did and that could explain a lot!

My understanding is that it's really the current that does the damage - but it's a long time since I did my EMT training, and even longer since I did college.