MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Murfreesboro Police Department is equipping its patrol cars with a device that could save lives in a heartbeat. All patrol cars will have Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs on hand for emergencies. 

“The person who arrives on the scene first is the best person to start life-saving treatment since every second counts,” Administrative Division Captain Don Fanning said.  “Whether it’s an officer, firefighter, paramedic or an emergency medical technician.”

As part of their in-service training, officers undergo CPR and AED training every two years.  “It’s about keeping people alive,” Fanning said. “Minutes make a difference when someone’s having a heart attack.  CPR buys time, and AEDs save lives.  Officers now have the power to save lives right in their patrol car.”

An AED is an easy-to-use medical device designed to help a person who may be experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest.  With the press of a button, the machine automatically analyzes the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, it will deliver an electrical shock to help re-establish an effective heart rhythm.

The first set of cruisers was equipped with AEDs in mid-April. The goal is to issue all uniformed officers an AED by the end of the year.

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