In two separate incidents, members of the New Canaan Police Department recently saved the lives of people who had gone into cardiac arrest and overdosed, according to Chief Leon Krolikowski.
Clockwise from top left: New Canaan Police Lt. Mark DeFelice, Officer Sebastian Obando, Officer Robert Rizzitelli and Acting Sgt. David Rivera, K-9 handler.
In one incident, New Canaan Police Lt. Mark DeFelice, Officer Sebastian Obando, Officer Robert Rizzitelli and Acting Sgt. David Rivera, K-9 handler responded in minutes to a report of a possible overdose in New Canaan, the chief said in a press release.
Arriving, they found the patient was not alert and showed signs of having overdosed, Krolikowski said. They administered Narcan and the patient came to, he said. New Canaan Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the individual to a hospital, Krolikowski said.
New Canaan Police Sgt. Aaron LaTourette. Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Police Department
In a separate incident, Lt. James George, Sgt. Aaron LaTourette and Officer Jeff Pollock responded in minutes to a report of an individual in cardiac arrest.
Arriving, the officers found that three New Canaan residents were coordinating 911 services and administering CPR, the chief said. The officers, seeing the patient was non-responsive, used a defibrillator to revive the person, regaining a pulse, the chief said.
The three New Canaanites who provided life-saving assistance will receive an award from the Department, as will all of the officers, the chief said.
“Thanks to their training, professionalism and expert care, they saved a life,” the chief said in the release.
He continued, “We are proud of how these seven officers embody our mission which is, ‘To protect and serve the community with courage, professionalism and integrity.’ ”
New Canaan Police Officer Jeff Pollock speaks during an awards ceremony at New Canaan High School on Oct. 23, 2018. Credit: Michael Dinan
It isn’t clear just where or when the incidents transpired. Police often withhold details in medical incidents in order to safeguard the identity of those involved.
The chief also thanked Silver Hill Hospital for funding the department’s Narcan program and providing training, and NCVAC “for being such a critical partner as we work side-by-side to handle hundreds of medical calls and medical emergencies.”
“There is no greater reward than saving a life,” the chief said.
Pollock himself was revived last year by fellow New Canaan Police officers when he suffered a heart attack during a physical fitness test at department headquarters.
WOW-WOW-WOW! How can we say THANKS enough to these vital Officers who do such grand life-saving work for us! God bless them all!