ARTICLE COURTESY OF NEWS-HERALD
The Rotary Club of Mentor recently purchased six Automated External Defibrillators for the Mentor Police to replace outdated ones.
Portable AEDs save lives by providing immediate treatment to people suffering from heart-related emergencies. The department carries the AEDs in patrol cars, which allows them to reach victims as soon as possible.
Captain Robert Valley, Sgt. Jeremy Calhoun, Mentor City Manager Ken Filipiak and Gina Alberti from the city’s communication office recently were guests of the Mentor Rotary Club.
As part of the purchase, Valley said the department was able to negotiate the purchase of an additional seven units plus receive a discount on the return of the older, outdated units.
Valley thanked the Rotary Club and noted the department now has enough units to place one in each on-duty police cruiser, covering the entire city.
Calhoun, who oversees the internal training for the AEDs, explained these units were extremely easy to use and state-of-the art.
He added that the department is sometimes first on the scene of a medical emergency, since their officers are already out on the road. Arriving first and encountering a heart-related emergency, the department can immediately provide life-saving aid, while they await the arrival of EMS personnel.
Valley and Calhoun also explained the amount of training each officer undergoes and noted each cruiser carries a large amount of equipment.
Calhoun said he appreciated the smaller size of the AEDs, as they fit in well with the other equipment.
Filipiak said he felt the Mentor Police Department was one of the best trained forces in Northeast Ohio and he was incredibly proud of the city’s officers.
Neil Sawicki, president of the Mentor Rotary Club, expressed how pleased the club was in providing such essential equipment to the city. He explained the Rotary’s mission is “Service Above Self” and said “the donation of these AEDs epitomizes Rotary’s commitment to our community.”
Mentor Police Sgt. Jeremy Calhoun explains the use of new AEDs donated by the Mentor Rotary Club.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF MENTOR