Department of Health and Human Services officials gathered Wednesday in Bismarck to celebrate the success of a grant program that purchased 1,700 automated external defibrillators, often called AEDs.
The defibrillators, which deliver an electric shock to the chest of a person suffering a heart attack, can be essential in rural areas, said Sherry Adams, North Dakota’s state health officer.
The devices, purchased through the $4.3 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, have been used about 1,000 times since 2021, according to state health officials.
“They were able to train these law enforcement personnel as well to be ready in the event they might have to use them,” Adams said.
One woman who credits law enforcement for saving her life is Patsy Hudkins of Velva. Hudkins suffered a heart attack while working at a local bar in February 2023. A nearby sheriff’s deputy responded to the scene and used an AED from his patrol car to deliver the shock that saved her life.
“A lot of times the officers are the first ones on duty,” said Hudkins, who shared her story during a news conference. She said rural ambulance services are always on call, but can take dozens of minutes to respond to depending on the location.
“Having even that extra five minutes is huge,” said Hudkins, who credits McHenry County Deputy Adam McTaggart for saving her life.
McHenry County Sheriff Trey Skager said his department employs nine to 10 deputies to cover about 2,000 square miles. He said having deputies equipped and trained can save lives.
The devices were distributed to local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies in North Dakota.
About 30 North Dakota towns and cities are also part of the state’s Cardiac Ready Community Program, said Christine Greff, stroke and cardiac systems coordinator for the Department of Health and Human Services. The program supports bystander, emergency responder and public-private partnerships to improve responses for cardiac events and strokes.
Health officials urged more communities to get involved with the program by reaching out to the state’s Emergency Medical Systems Unit
“We’re calling on all of the communities of North Dakota to begin to prepare, to train, and ensure that AEDs are accessible,” Adams said. “We are really reminded today that action truly matters.”
This story first appeared in The North Dakota Monitor. Read the original here.
