Gilbert PD to equip every police officer with AEDs while on duty

PHOENIX — Gilbert police officers will be equipped with an Automatic External Defibrillator while on patrol, the city announced Tuesday.

June 1 -7 is designated as CPR and AED Awareness Week.

The police department purchased 92 fully automatic dual-language AEDs, which also have officer-guided on-screen CPR feedback on the depth and rate of compression needed when in use.

An estimated 300,000 to 450,000 deaths happened yearly in the U.S. as a result of cardiac arrest, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Police officers are often the first to respond to medical emergencies and having AEDs readily available can be the difference in increasing a person’s chance of survival while awaiting the arrival of emergency medical services, Gilbert PD said.

“Gilbert PD recognizes the need to provide a rapid response to cardiac emergencies,” Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg said in a press release. “Our AED program will provide the necessary equipment for our officers to provide lifesaving assistance until the Gilbert Fire and Rescue Department arrives.”