Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn today recognized Henrietta Volunteer Ambulance for donating twenty-one Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Henrietta Volunteer Ambulance will own and maintain the AEDs which are in marked sheriff’s vehicles patrolling Henrietta, Rush, Mendon, Honeoye Falls, Scottsville and Wheatland.

“Every second counts when someone is suffering from cardiac arrest”, said Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn. “The use of an AED has shown to significantly increase the chances of survival and the community can find assurance knowing that our deputies will have this life-saving equipment at their disposal.” Deputies currently receive annual CPR and AED training however, Henrietta Volunteer Ambulance has committed to providing additional instruction and refresher courses to deputies through their training center.

“We’re eager to work with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office on this initiative. Our focus is always on our patients and the well-being of the greater community”, said Chief Reg Allen. “Through this new program, we’re deploying 21 additional AEDs into the local community which will help further our mission of saving lives. Individuals suffering cardiac arrest need immediate CPR—chest compressions primarily—and to have an AED applied as quickly as possible. With the additional AEDs located in the deputies’ vehicles, the chance of a patient surviving sudden cardiac arrest will undoubtedly increase if an officer arrives at the patient’s side before other responders.”

Sudden Cardiac Arrest kills one person nearly every two minutes in the United States. Use of an Automated External Defibrillator can increase the chance of surviving a heart attack by 70% and the chance of survival decreases nearly 10% for every minute that passes for someone in Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Statistics from the American Heart Association show that Sudden Cardiac Arrest causes 350,000 deaths per year or approximately one death every 1.7 minutes.