A new program inside the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office training deputies in advanced emergency medical response.
County Sheriff Casey Cox said 13 deputies are now EMR certified, meaning they are able to provide life-saving aid before EMS arrives on scene. Cox said deputies out patrolling may be able to respond to crisis faster than EMS, which is important given the county’s size and large senior citizen population.
“When that critical 911 call comes in, that deputy Sheriff may be seconds to just a few minutes away from being able to be on scene to provide some treatment and stabilization of the patient,” Cox said. “Where the ambulance arriving on scene may take several minutes before they could ever get there.”
Cox said deputies receive between 60 and 80 hours of classroom training through the program. Deputies also have hands on training with EMS through a couple of ambulance shifts. Cox said 12 deputies are new graduates, and a 13th is a certified EMT.
Cox said deputies were impressed with the training they received. Cox said the deputies who are now EMR certified will soon have easy to use AEDs, which are compatible with EMS ambulance heart monitors. Cox said deputies will also get a medical response bag and oxygen tank.
“They’ve got the essentials they need to be able to provide the treatment and the care for the victims they come into contact with,” Cox said. “There’s no doubt [the EMR program] is going to save lives.”
Cox said it is hard to determine how effective a program will be when it is launched, but the EMR program is one where success can be gauged quickly.
Cox said one of his goals is to have as many deputies get certified as possible, but he will not require it. Cox said the deputies who have completed EMR training have done so voluntarily.
“I’m not going to force them,” Cox said. “But my goal is as many of them as we can have, because you just don’t know where that next emergency call is is going to be and how close you’re going to be to it to be able to save someone’s life.”
Cox said EMR program had support from the County Commissioners, as deputies received a $2 per hour stipend for completing the program. Deputies were not informed of this raise until after they graduated the program. Cox said deputies participated because of their duty to serve Cumberland County.
Cox said even deputies who do not have EMR certification get general first aid training. Cox said EMR training is much more extensive and strenuous than the basic training.
Cox said the idea for this program came up a couple years ago. Cox said he spoke with Mayor Allen Foster, who was quick to support. Cox said this led to support from more county leadership.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s EMR program is unique, as Cox said Blount County is the only other in the state with EMR-certified officers.