PCSO and Rural Metro honor first responders with Life Saving Medals | Community Spirit

On November 5, eight Pinal County Sheriff’s employees received Life Saving Medals from Sheriff Paul Babeu and Rural/Metro Fire Department. Additionally the firefighters, EMT’s, Air Evac crew and hospital personnel were all recognized at the event related to these same cases.

Lives were saved because of the team efforts of everyone involved from start to finish.

Below is a description of the cases involving the eight members who received Life Saving Medals:

On September 22nd, 2012 Deputies Tyler Fisher and Guy Carino responded to a residence regarding a male subject who was not breathing. Deputies arrived to the call within one minute and immediately utilized an AED and CPR. The subject began breathing on his own but stopped breathing once again a short time later. The deputies continued to provide treatment utilizing the AED and CPR until medical personnel arrived. Once medics arrived, they took over the medical treatment. The subject was taken to a local hospital where he made a full recovery.

On October 5th, 2012 Deputies Paul Dudish and Jonathan Poterson responded to a residence regarding a child choking on a carrot. Deputies arrived at the residence within a few minutes and immediately provided medical assistance to help dislodge the carrot from the child’s airway with the help of medics. The child made a full recovery.

On October 23rd, 2012 Lt Ruben Leos, Deputy Chad Lakosky and Deputy Edward Castro responded to a residence regarding a 70-year-old male who was unconscious and not breathing. The reporting party also reported that a neighbor was attempting to start CPR. With the area being remote, medical response was extended up to twenty minutes and Lt Leos was in the area, arriving on scene within 7 minutes of the call. Lt Leos observed a man unconscious and blue with another man attempting to give CPR compressions, Lt Leos immediately began giving mouth to mask air to the patient while the neighbor continued with chest compressions. Deputy Lakosky arrived and took over chest compressions with the Lt continuing to give the patient breaths. Deputy Castro arrived and assisted the units with CPR until the first ambulance arrived on scene. EMS arrived on scene and while deputies continued CPR they hooked up the patient to an AED, administering a shock and they were able to obtain a pulse after using an AED. EMS took over treatment and the patient was transported to a local hospital. The man made a full recovery.

On March 27, 2012 at 9:09 a.m. Traffic Deputy Roderick Harrison responded to a two vehicle injury collision on Ironwood Road at the Moto Cross in San Tan Valley. Upon arrival he located a 9-year-old male child on the ground surrounded by people. A Child Protective Service (CPS) worker was administering CPR to the child. The child was unresponsive, not breathing and had no pulse. Deputy Harrison took over life saving efforts from the CPS worker. Deputy Harrison applied his CPR training and assessed the child's condition and prepared him for CPR. Deputy Harrison attempted two sets of rescue breaths and could not get any air to flow into the child's lungs. Deputy Harrison then used his right index finger to sweep the child's mouth area. He successfully cleared the child's airway of a large piece of doughnut. Dep. Harrison then started performing rescue breaths again and brought the child back to life.

Sheriff Babeu stated, “I’m very proud of our deputies, firefighters, EMT’s and hospital medical staff who have played an important role in saving so many lives in Pinal County. Our deputies are more than enforcers of the law, but also protectors and lifesaving heroes who put their lives at risk everyday they proudly wear the uniform.”