The Hall County Sheriff’s Office is one step closer to outfitting all of its patrol vehicles with life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) following the recent deployment of 12 new units.
The machines are an important department goal to Sheriff Gerald Couch, who addressed the deputies prior to training and assignment of the new devices on Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Sheriff’s Office headquarters.
“We go to a lot of incidents, traffic accidents, assaults or anything else where people have suffered a traumatic injury, and those first few moments are very critical,” Couch said. “You can save lives because you get there before the med. units often do. It may also be used to save one of our lives because of all of the things that we go through.”
According to Spokesman Derreck Booth, the Cardiac Science units were strategically placed to maximize their geographic coverage and include assignment to Deputies in Patrol and the Traffic and Active Criminal Enforcement Units.
"The portable AEDs are about the size of a bag of potato chips and come with pads, case and battery that lasts roughly four years," Booth said. "The machines have voice commands, instructing users on exactly what to do. If a shock isn’t needed, the AED won’t deliver one."
Couch said deputies mastered the use of the machines in a matter of minutes, and the response was positive.
“I think it will be a great tool for our tool belts to be able to actually save a life, to be able to make that difference in it,” Deputy Donna Bennett said. “Sometimes a matter of minutes makes a big difference.”
