Floyd County Police Department Receives 68 Portable Defibrillators
On Friday, Feb. 5, the Floyd County Police Department (FCPD) received 68 automatic external defibrillators (AEDs).
The portable defibrillators were acquired through a $144,000 HRSA (Human Resources and Services Administration) grant through the Georgia Department of Community Health in Rome.
The grant was written by Georgia Department of Community Health employees Annette Clairy and David Loftin.
Redmond Regional Medical Center EMS Director Robert Early and employee Sherry Peace provided the training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to all the officers.
Early said the training went very well.
He said the goal is to shorten response times of defibrillation to cardiac arrest patients to prevent brain death, which usually occurs in less than 10 minutes.
Floyd County Police Chief Bill Shiflett was on hand Friday for the AED presentation.
“It’s a great idea and tool to have AEDs in our police cars,” Chief Shiflett said.
Defibrillators are also carried on ambulances and fire department vehicles, but police vehicles often arrive first.
The Rome Police Department also recently acquired AEDs for its police vehicles.
In line with stressing the importance of recognizing and seeking help for heart attack and stroke victims, both Floyd Medical Center EMS and Redmond Regional Medical Center EMS will be conducting pujblic education of the early warning signs of heart attacks and strokes during the month of February.
