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With approximately 450,000 victims per year, sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The only effective immediate treatment for sudden cardiac arrest is an electric shock from an automated external defibrillator (AED), administered as soon as possible...
Numerous studies have indicated that equipping police vehicles with AEDs and decreasing the call-to-shock time greatly increases a victim’s chance of survival and that is why nearly three years ago the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office set a goal to equip each of its 40 full time deputy’s vehicles with AED’s, and this month that goal was achieved said Chief Deputy John Moats.
Sheriff’s Deputies roam neighborhoods and potentially offer faster response times in a cardiac emergencies arriving even before emergency medical personnel especially in the in rural and suburban areas of Vigo County and therefore play a vital role in the life-saving process.  By equipping our vehicles with AEDs and incorporating them into the emergency response system time between cardiac arrest and defibrillation can be significantly reduced said Moats. In study after study, it has been shown that the sooner sudden cardiac arrest is treated with an AED, the better. Every minute that passes, the chances of survival is lessen by ten percent.
Chief Moats said that while making AEDs part of the standard equipment that deputies carry, he reminds everyone that learning CPR is a simple way to save a life.  It offers immediate emergency assistance during the critical first few minutes after breathing has ceased. 
Just by administering CPR, one can prevent brain damage due to lack of oxygen until help arrives, thus possibly ensuring not only the survival of the victim but their return to a normal life.   
While cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not always effective, it buys time before deputies or other first responders can arrive to perform electric shock defibrillation on the heart.  Several organizations and fire departments offer classes or certification programs in Vigo County.