NY State Police Recognized For AEDs In Patrol Units

[RWC130 594]

NY State Police Recognized For AEDs In Patrol Units

ALBANY—In a ceremony Tuesday in Albany, Ms. Michele Lieberman, community strategies manager of Emergency Cardiovascular Care for the American Heart Association, joined New York State Police acting superintendent Preston L. Felton in recognizing State Police efforts to place Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all State Police facilities and marked patrol units. Felton announced that in response to law passed in 2005, mandating AEDs being placed in all public state buildings and facilities, the State Police was able to secure an additional $1.7 million funding to place AEDs in all marked State Police patrol vehicles. This will enable every trooper on patrol to respond swiftly to emergency medical calls and literally save lives. The State Police has now deployed 300 in Division facilities and 1400 in marked patrol vehicles.

Superintendent Felton said, *The State Police is often times called upon as first responders to accident scenes and medical calls. AEDs are rapidly taking their place among the most important life-saving devices available in society today. By placing AEDs in our marked patrol vehicles we now have an additional tool that gives Troopers the chance to save a life.*

*We always welcome the opportunity to strengthen the chain of survival and now the New York State Police is an intricate part of this mission,* said Lieberman. *Under this initiative, the citizens of New York State are offered an increased chance of survival from sudden cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association applauds the New York State Police for its efforts to launch this initiative in such an organized and timely manner.*

According to the American Heart Association, it is essential to integrate early defibrillation into an effective emergency cardiovascular care system. This means employing the four-part *chain of survival* concept:

* Early access, quickly calling 9-1-1;

* Early CPR, promptly giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation when

needed;

* Early defibrillation, having proper equipment and being trained

to use the AED when indicated; and

* Early advanced care. Defibrillation is a process in which an electronic device gives an electric shock to the heart. This helps reestablish normal contraction rhythms in a heart having dangerous arrhythmia or in cardiac arrest. In recent years, small portable defibrillators, know as automated external defibrillators or AEDs, have become economically feasible and readily obtainable.

The State Police analyzed and evaluated several available AED models. The Division selected the Philips HeartStart FRx Defibrillator, based on its characteristics of being compact, rugged enough to sustain the inevitable bumps and knocks that come with service in the field, simple to use. It features a *CPR Coaching* function that provides appropriate step-by-step instructions to the user, and it has a special

*pediatric key* to reduce voltage, allowing it to be safely used with infants.

Along with the selection of an AED, the State Police developed and adopted a system of AED-related policies, operational procedures, guidelines, training protocols and an integrated plan for deployment. This program was reviewed and approved by the State Health Department and the Regional Emergency Medical Organization.

In September of this year, the State Police initiated training for all employees throughout the State. One-hundred State Police CPR-AED instructors, certified by the American Heart Association, provide training in the use of CPR and AED devices to Division personnel across the state. It is expected that all 6,000-plus employees of the State Police will have completed this training by the beginning of 2008.

http://www.northcountrygazette.org/news/20...nized_for_aeds/

[Guest alsfirefighter]

The one good thing about the program is the Troopers have been very responsive to it from the beginning. All the Troopers who carry them in the areas I've work with them always have it in hand when arriving to a medical call.

Good to see Michelle's name with her new job. She did a fantastic job running the Dutchess Community College Paramedic Program for several years.