The village’s squad cars soon might carry sophisticated lifesaving equipment under a plan proposed by Police Chief Mel Mack.
Mack wants to purchase 16 defibrillators to be used by police officers who often are the first to respond to people in cardiac arrest.
Some of the machines would be stationed in village-owned buildings, and private organizations would be asked to help purchase the defibrillators which cost about $3,500 each. The Addison Rotary Club was the first organization to write a check for the effort, Mack said.
The village’s police officers have been trained in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques and minimal training will be required for them to operate the machines, said Mack.
Mack said American Heart Association figures indicate 100,000 deaths could be prevented each year if defibrillators were more readily available
