VB public safety officers save 2 lives

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - For a second time this week the use of city Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in patrol cars have assisted in saving the lives of men who collapsed outdoors in cardiac arrest and were revived at the scene. This is the culmination of training all police officers in the use of AEDs and life saving techniques until EMS and Fire units can arrive to administer additional Advanced Life Support (ALS) treatment and transportation.

The first incident occurred Saturday afternoon, Feb. 7; a call was received by the E911 Emergency Communications Center for an unconscious man in a front yard. Officer S. Stein of the Third Precinct was close by and heard the call and responded. Upon arrival, Officer Stein assessed the man to be in cardiac arrest, and was not breathing. He performed CPR for several minutes and deployed and activated his AED providing a returned heart beat. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fire Department units arrived shortly afterwards to find the patient had a return of pulse and breathing. ALS treatment was started and continued upon arrival at the hospital.

On Monday morning, Feb. 10, the Emergency Communications Center began receiving calls about a jogger who collapsed and that someone was administering CPR on him. EMS, Police, and Fire Department resources were dispatched. In less than two minutes, MPO M. Melnyk and Officer D. Peyer of the Third Precinct arrived to find CPR was still being performed by a "passerby." The officers deployed and activated their AED. Assessment after the AED use showed that the patient had a return of pulse and was breathing. EMS and Fire Department units arrived shortly thereafter and administered ALS treatment on the way to the hospital. After the incident, it was determined that the passerby (Steve Hartz), who started CPR was a former volunteer EMS member with Plaza Volunteer Rescue and had recently moved back to the area.

Both patients survived and are recovering. This is a prime example of how our unique Emergency Response System (ERS) works and how it continues to save lives in the community. "All the links in the Chain-of-Survival came together: quick 911 dispatching, quick Police AED use, EMS providers and ambulances, and Fire Department members working as a team focused on the common goal of providing high quality patient care", said Bruce Nedelka NREMT-P Division Chief, Department of Emergency Medical Services