From Jacqueline Carpenter, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS)

RCIPS’ First Response Life-Saving Capabilities Bolstered by Generous Donation from Cayman Heart Fund

Today, 17 August, the RCIPS is delighted to announce that it has received a donation of 20 AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) from the Cayman Heart Fund. These devices interrupt life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias through electric therapy, and are credited with saving countless lives. The RCIPS has distributed the new AEDs among its police stations, detention centre, and other locations, as well as certain response vehicles this week with a view toward providing front line officers with the best and quickest accessibility possible to the new devices. They will be in place at police stations on the Sister Islands later this month.

“One of the primary duties of a police officer is to protect and save lives; therefore, these generous donations by the Cayman Heart Fund will add to the tools available to our first responders to render critical first aid to a victim experiencing a cardiac condition,” said Anthony Ennis, Acting Commissioner of Police, “likewise, the life we save might be our own, as police officers work under very stressful and difficult circumstances.

These devices have also been placed throughout our police estates and are readily available if needed. Civilian staff as well as police is receiving training in First-Aid, CPR and AED.”

Often officers arrive at the scene of a critical incident before the ambulance, and in some instances, such as the case of a man in North Side last year who collapsed in his home, they have managed to resuscitate victims through sustained CPR. Although First Aid and CPR training enables officers to effectively respond to incidents like these, the increased availability of AEDs provides them with a powerful tool to save more lives.

“In order to increase the ability of first responders to react to a cardiac event, they must have the ability to use an AED right away, generally within the first three minutes,” said David Dinner, Chairman of the Board of the Cayman Heart Fund. “Our objective is to make this a safer country, with the most AEDs per capita of anywhere in the region. As more and more people visit the islands, many of whom are older, the presence of AEDs everywhere – in bars, restaurants, even along the beach – will make the critical difference for scores of people.

We have started with first responders, but our goal is for everyone to know where an AED is and how to use it.”

The Cayman Heart Fund has already donated AEDs to eleven public schools. In 2012 it donated 5 AEDs to the RCIPS.

More information on the Cayman Heart Fund and its AED program can be found at www.caymanheartfund.com.

Photos: CHF 2 – Group Photo: PC Brandaughn Phillips, CHF Coordinator Colleen Dahlstrom, Chairman David Dinner, ACoP Ennis, Special Constable Jayse Wilson

CHF 3 – A sign outside GTPS indicating that an AED is on the premises

CHF 4 – The device and cabinet inside the station, near the main entrance.