The Hillsdale Police Department routinely responds to medical emergencies.  Many departments in the tri-state area--especially those in urban areas--typically do not detail their officers to respond to traumas, respiratory or cardiac distress, and other sick calls.  As a rule, however, the HPD dispatches a police officer to every medical emergency call received.  By doing so, the HPD hopes to provide immediate basic first-aid to those in need, as a police officer in a police car can always make it to the scene of an emergency faster than the larger emergency equipment like ambulances and fire trucks. 

As a result, Hillsdale Police Officers are all certified First Responders .  Some of our officers are present or former E.M.T.'s (Emergency Medical Technicians).  In the event of a medical emergency, our officers will respond to the scene and render whatever basic medical assistance required, including C.P.R. (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation). 

In 1998, Automated External Defibrillators (A.E.D.'s) were donated by Pascack Valley Hospital, and installed in the police cars.  An A.E.D. is a user-friendly version of the hospital's cardiac defibrillator, which supplies an electric shock to a lifeless/pulseless body.  The shock revives the heart, and stimulates a pulse, thereby restoring life to the patient.  Once a complicated medical device, the A.E.D. has been produced for people outside of the medical field who do not possess the years of training and education in cardiac emergencies.  The A.E.D. is a computerized defibrillator that essentially walks the police officer through shocking a cardiac victim back to life.  With no probability of error, our police officers can now successfully administer a defibrillator's shock to a patient who would otherwise have to wait for a medical professional to arrive. 

In sum, Hillsdale Police Officers are not only trained in C.P.R., but now also have the training in the use of the A.E.D. and have these devices with them for every medical call.  In the event that a patient is pulseless, the initial responder (the police officer) can waste no time in applying the A.E.D. and saving a life! 

To date, the Hillsdale Police Department has successfully utilized the Defibrillator to revive several cardiac patients, resulting in A.E.D. Saves!