NCJ Number
176781
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1999 Pages: 16-27
Date Published
1999
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The 1990s have seen a rapid increase in the number of police agencies using defibrillators to help treat some of the 350,000 annual victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
Abstract
In one form or another, the defibrillator has been around for more than 30 years and has been used primarily by hospitals and paramedics. Municipal police departments, county sheriffs, State highway patrols, jails, and correctional facilities are increasingly using defibrillators to help save lives. Studies indicate up to 50 percent of all deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest can be prevented with early defibrillation. Research on the use of defibrillators by police agencies is reviewed, and types of defibrillators available from industry are noted. The effectiveness of defibrillators in police use is considered from the police officer's perspective. 6 photographs