STOUGHTON — Chief Donna McNamara is pleased to report that the Stoughton Police Department recently rendered life-saving aid on two separate occasions.
Stoughton Police officers are credited with saving the lives of two people suffering from medical emergencies on Nov. 25 and Dec. 6.
“I am pleased to recognize the actions of Lt. Timothy Hansler, Detective Kevin Lima, and Officers Heather Cheever, Michael Connelly, Dominic Evangelista, Khang Lam, and Albert Medeiros, who were recently instrumental in saving the lives of two people in our town,” Chief McNamara said. “Their swift response and dedication to protecting and serving our community truly exemplify the highest standards of our department.”
Stoughton Police Officer Uses Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
On Friday, Dec. 6, at approximately 8:15 a.m., Officer Michael Connelly was dispatched to FH Peterson Machine Corp, at 143 South St., for a report of an unresponsive person in cardiac arrest.
Dispatch advised the responding officers that CPR was in progress and an AED was in use and delivered a shock.
Upon arrival, a bystander was performing chest compressions on the man suffering a medical emergency. Officer Connelly immediately took over chest compressions until the AED advised to deliver an electrical shock. Officer Connelly delivered the shock and then continued chest compressions.
As Officer Connelly continued the compressions, the victim began taking a breath and began to blink.
Stoughton Fire Department EMTs arrived shortly after and transported the victim to a local hospital. Paramedics advised officers that the victim was conscious and alert upon transport.
Stoughton Police Officers Deliver Life-Saving CPR
On Monday, Nov. 25, at approximately 11:20 a.m., Lt. Timothy Hansler, Detective Kevin Lima, and Officers Heather Cheever, Dominic Evangelista, Khang Lam, and Albert Medeiros responded to the area of 470 Washington St. for a report of a driver suffering a medical emergency.
Upon arrival, Officer Lam observed a man slumped over and unconscious in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. The driver was not responsive to officers banging on the window.
Lt. Hansler used a window punch device to break a window and climbed inside the vehicle to unlock the doors.
Officer Cheever opened the driver’s door, put the vehicle in park, and removed the victim from the car. Officer Cheever laid him on the ground, Lt. Hansler administered a sternum rub, and Officer Medeiros attempted additional life-saving measures, but the victim remained unconscious.
Officer Lam then began performing chest compressions while Officer Cheever provided rescue breaths.
The Stoughton Fire Department arrived shortly after and took over advanced care. The victim was transported to a local hospital for further treatment.
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, the Stoughton Police Department was notified by the victim’s family that he was recovering well and should be home soon. Doctors told the family that this was a “1 in a million” survival chance.
The actions of Lt. Hansler, Detective Lima, and Officers Cheever, Evangelista, Lam, and Medeiros played a critical role in the victim surviving his cardiac arrest.
The Stoughton Police Department would also like to recognize the actions of good Samaritan Ashley Depina, who was instrumental in stopping the victim’s vehicle.
Depina was stopped at the intersection of Washington and Central streets when she noticed the victim’s vehicle roll through a red light. She noticed other traffic had stopped for the vehicle and witnessed as the car drove onto a curb.
Depina drove toward the vehicle and noticed the driver slumped over. She decided to gently crash her car into the victim’s vehicle to disable it and called 911, initiating the emergency response.
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