WEST POINT – APD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
FINAL EXAM PAPER
DARRELL BOYDSTON
AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR – CPR
AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED) AND CARDIOPULMONARY
RESUSCITATION (CPR) SHOULD BE PURCHASED, TRAINING PROVIDED AND
ITS USE BECOME A STANDARD PRACTICE FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE
AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT. AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL
DEFIBRILLATOR IS A DEVICE, CONTROLLED BY A COMPUTER THAT CAN
DELIVER AN
ELECTRICAL SHOCK TO A HEART IN VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION AND
FAST VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA. THE SECOND HALF OF THE EQUATION
TO SAVING A LIFE IS CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR).
THROUGH THE PROPER USE OF AN AED, TO “JUMP START” THE HEART AND
CPR TO KEEP OXYGEN FLOWING THROUGH THE BLOOD STREAM TO THE
BRAIN, SURVIVAL RATES FOR HEART ATTACK PATIENTS CAN BE
INCREASED. PART OF THE DUTIES OF A POLICE OFFICER IS TO PROTECT
AND SERVE. THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO SERVE OURSELVES AND THE
CITIZEN OF AUSTIN THAT WE COME IN CONTACT WITH IN OUR DAILY
TOURS OF DUTY, THAN TO PROVIDE CPR AND AED TRAINING. THIS
TRAINING WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO SHOW THAT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT CARES ABOUT CITY EMPLOYEES AND THE CITIZENS
WE SERVE. ONE LIFE SAVED WOULD BE WORTH, IN CITIZEN GOOD WILL
ALONE, THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING THIS PROGRAM.
AREAS OF INTEREST
1. EVERY YEAR, 250,000 AMERICANS COLLAPSE IN THEIR
HOMES, AND WORKPLACES, OR ON THE STREET AS A RESULT OF CARDIAC
ARREST, 95 PERCENT DO NOT SURVIVE. THE AMERICAN POPULATION IS
GETTING OLDER ON AVERAGE AND THERE WILL BE GREATER MEDICAL
CONCERNS FOR THIS POPULATION IN THE FUTURE.
2. THE 2000 CENSUS REPORTS AUSTIN TO HAVE A POPULATION OF 656,562
PEOPLE. AUSTIN IS A HUB-CITY FOR TEXAS STATE BUSINESS AROUND THE
CAPITOL COMPLEX, THERE ARE MANY INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES,
SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES AND EMPLOYEES COMING INTO
THE CITY FROM THE SURROUNDING BEDROOM COMMUNITIES TO WORK.
3. THE AUSTIN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM IS BUILT ON
SERVING THE RESIDENT POPULATION NO NECESSARILY THE LARGE
AMOUNT OF NON-RESIDENTS THAT VISITING THE CITY DAILY. THERE ARE
ONLY
23 EMS STATIONS CITY WIDE AND 1 STARFLIGHT HELICOPTER. THE
RESPONSE TIME FOR EMS TO AN ASSISTANCE CALL IS AN AVERAGE OF
6.75 MINUTES. (EMS ALSO HAS TO COVER CALLS IN TRAVIS COUNTY).
4. THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS 41 STATION COVERING THE CITY
OF AUSTIN. ALL FIRE FIGHTERS ARE TRAINED AS EMT’S (EMERGENCY
MEDICAL TECHNICIANS). THE RESPONSE TIME FOR AFD TO A CALL IS AN
AVERAGE OF 4.16 MINUTES. (AT A SERIOUS FIRE MULTIPLE AFD UNIT
COULD BE TIED UP AT THE SAME TIME).
5. TIME IS CRITICAL IN LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCIES. UNLESS THE
BRAIN GETS OXYGEN WITHIN MINUTES OF WHEN BREATHING STOPS,
BRAIN DAMAGE OR DEATH WILL OCCUR. ON ANY GIVEN SHIFT THERE
COULD BE, AS LEAST 66 POLICE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO PATROL
DISTRICTS, PLUS DETECTIVES, MOTORS AND OTHER SPECIALTY UNITS AT
ANY ONE TIME. THE AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME FOR APD IS 5.25 MINUTES.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT UNLIKE EMS OR AFD, POLICE OFFICERS ARE
OUT DRIVING THE STREETS AND NOT SITTING WAITING TO RESPOND
FROM A STATIONARY POINT.
6. AT THE PRESENT TIME THERE IS NO UPDATES ON CPR OR FIRST AID
AS PART OF THE CONTINUOUS TRAINING OF POLICE OFFICERS. THE
CADETS RECEIVE 16 HOURS OF CPR AND FIRST AID DURING THERE
ACADEMY AS PART OF THE T.C.L.O.S.E REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE
LICENSING.
7. UNLESS THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICER SEEKS CPR AND FIRST AID TRAINING
ON THEIR OWN, THEY HAVE NO SKILLS TO ASSIST EACH OTHER OR THE
GENERAL PUBLIC WHEN A MEDICAL EMERGENCY OCCURS. AT PRESENT
WHEN AN OFFICER CONFRONTS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY HE CAN ONLY
USE HIS RADIO TO CALL SOMEONE ELSE FOR HELP, WADE IN BLINDLY TO
THE SITUATION, OR TRY TO USE THE CPR – FIRST AID HE MIGHT HAVE
LEARNED LONG AGO, IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE A LIFE.
8. OFFICERS AS FAR BACK A 10 YEARS AGO WERE GIVEN “AIDS KITS”
WHICH CONTAINED RE-USABLE CPR MASKS, YET THERE WAS NO CPR
TRAINING GIVEN AT THAT TIME. OFFICERS TO THIS DAY ARE STILL ABLE
TO GET CPR EQUIPMENT FROM THE EQUIPMENT SUPPLY ROOM WITHOUT
TRAINING.
9. AN “AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR” IS A DEVICE USED TO
ADMINISTER AN ELECTRIC SHOCK THROUGH THE CHEST WALL TO THE
HEART. BUILT IN COMPUTER ASSESS THE PATIENT’S HEART RHYTHM,
JUDGES WHETHER DEFIBRILLATION IS NEEDED AND ADMINISTERS THE
SHOCK. A SHOCK IS ONLY DELIVERED TO A HEART EXPERIENCING
VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION AND FAST VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA.
10. TEXAS STATE LAW, LOCATED IN THE , HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE,
SUB-TITLE B, CHAPTER 779: AN ACT ELATING TO AUTOMATED EXTERNAL
DEFIBRILLATOR DEVICES. SECTION 1; LAYS OUT THE TRAINING REQUIRED
FOR A AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, MAINTENANCE OF THE
DEVICE, WHO TO NOTIFY WHEN THE DEVICE IS USED, NOTIFICATION OF
DEVICE LOCATION TO LOCAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, A
LIABILITY EXEMPTION FOR THE PHYSICIAN WHO AUTHORIZES
ACQUISITION OF THE DEVICE. SECTION 2; ADMEMDED THE CIVIL
PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE: LIMITS THE LIABILITY OF A PERSON
WHO IN GOOD FAITH ADMINISTERS EMERGENCY CARE INCLUDING USING
AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, UNLESS THE ACT IS
WILFULLY OR WANTONLY NEGLIGENT.
ANALYZE
EQUITY (CHANGING THE COMPARISON OTHER) – CITIZENS OF AUSTIN
THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN LOOK TO THE POLICE AT AN EMERGENCY
SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL TYPES OF SITUATIONS, NOT JUST TICKETS
AND ARRESTS. THE QUESTION I HAVE HEARD AT THE SCENE OF A
MEDICAL EMERGENCY IS “WHY DON’T YOU DO SOMETHING”. WITH THE
PROPER TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT WE WOULD BE BETTER ABLE TO
SERVICE THE CITIZENS.
EXPECTANCY (INSTRUMENTALITY) – POLICE OFFICERS
THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO LEARNED THE AED AND CPR, AND USED IT TO
SAVE A LIFE WOULD BE PROUD TO WEAR A LIFE SAVING RIBBON. THERE
WOULD ALSO BE REWARDS FOR THE DEPARTMENT BY THE WAY OF GOOD
PUBLICITY OF THE SERVICE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY.
MOTIVATION THROUGH CONSEQUENCES (OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING) –
POLICE OFFICERS
THROUGH SEEING OTHER OFFICERS THAT ARE TO ACT RESPONSIBLY IN A
MEDICAL EMERGENCY, MORE OFFICERS WOULD SEE THAT ASSISTING
PEOPLE IN NEED IS A SATISFYING THING.
JOB REDESIGN (ESTABLISHING CLIENT RELATIONSHIP) POLICE OFFICERS
BEING TRAINED IN AED AND CPR THE OFFICERS WOULD USUALLY BE THE
FIRST AGENCY A PERSON WOULD POSSIBLY SEE WHEN THEY WERE IN
CRISIS. THE OFFICER WOULD FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY COULD MAKE
AN IMMEDIATE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE CITIZENS THEY COME
IN CONTACT WITH.
GROUPS (COHESION) – OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
AFD AND EMS COULD DO THE TRAINING ON AED/CPR, WHICH WOULD
DRAW THE ENTIRE EMERGENCY SERVICE COMMUNITY CLOSER
TOGETHER. AFD AND EMS WORK CLOSELY NOW, BUT THE POLICE ARE
THE ODD MAN OUT.
MANAGING CONFLICT (AMBIGUOUS WORK ASSIGNMENTS) – CHIEF AND
ALL SUPERVISORS
BY TRAINING OFFICERS HOW TO RESPOND TO A MEDICAL EMERGENCY,
THERE WOULD BE LESS FINGER POINTING WHEN A SITUATION WENT
WRONG. THE OF THE CITY’S EMERGENCY SERVICES WOULD KNOW HOW
THE OTHER DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO A MEDICAL SITUATION AND WHY
THEY DO WHAT THEY DO.
POWER (EXPERT & REFERENT) – THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS
CITIZENS WOULD SEE OFFICERS PROVIDING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, HEAR
ABOUT THE GOOD DEEDS THROUGH THE PRESS AND BELIEVE THE POLICE
WERE THE EXPERTS TO CALL IN A CRISIS. REFERENT POWER COULD BE
CONFIRMED ON THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE AND COULD LEAD
CITIZENS TO SEE THE POLICE IN A BETTER LIGHT.
ORGANIZATION AS AN OPEN SYSTEM (BOUNDARIES)
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS REACHED A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE
CAN NOT PROVIDE OUR PEOPLE WITH ALL THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO DO
A GOOD JOB ON OUR OWN. WE MUST CROSS THOSE “DEMARCATION
LINES” AND LOOK TO AFD AND EMS FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN TRAINING
AND SHARING OF EXPERTISE.
MANAGING THE ENVIRONMENT
WITH A “TECHNICAL CORE” OF PEACE KEEPING, THE UNCERTAINTY OF
WHAT THE COMMUNITY MAY REALLY NEED THE POLICE TO DO SHOULD
CAUSE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO IMPLEMENT AED AND CPR TRAINING
TAKE ACTION
1. THERE IS LITTLE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN DO DIRECTLY ABOUT
THE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND THE AGING OF OUR CITIZENS, BUT WE
CAN PREPARE TO ASSIST WHEN CALLED UPON. EMPLOYEES OF THE
DEPARTMENT SHOULD BET A CLASS LIKE THE: AMERICAN RED CROSS
WORKPLACE TRAINING – ADULT CPR/AED; ONCE EVERY YEAR TO KEEP
THEIR SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE CURRENT.
2. WITH THE REPORTS OF OVER A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE AUSTIN METRO
AREA, AFD AND EMS MAY BE STRETCHING THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS
THEY CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO SERVE. WITH APD’S 1,848
EMPLOYEES, 1,215 OF THOSE COMMISSIONED, WE HAVE A LARGE POOL
THAT IF TRAINED IN CPR/AED, COULD SUPPLEMENT THE EFFORTS OF
AFD AND EMS IN OUR DAILY CONTACTS WITH THE PUBLIC.
3. WITH THE LIMITED NUMBER OF EMS UNITS, HAVING OFFICERS
TRAINED TO ASSIST IN A MEDICAL EMERGENCY COULD HELP
PROLONG SOMEONE’S LIFE UNTIL THE MORE SOPHISTICATED
EQUIPMENT COULD ARRIVE. IN AN EFFORT TO GENERATE A SENSE OF
TEAM WORK EMS SHOULD BE ENLISTED TO SUPPLEMENT THE
TRAINING EFFORTS THAT ARE NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED AT THE
POLICE ACADEMY. THIS INTERACTION WITH EMS WOULD BE A WAY TO
INTRODUCE EACH AGENCY TO HOW AND WHY THE OTHER DO THEIR
JOBS. MAKING THE OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE FOR OFFICERS TO RIDE
A SHIFT WITH EMS TO PUT THE AED/CPR SKILLS INTO PRACTICE
WOULD ALSO CREATE A BETTER BOND BETWEEN OUR DEPARTMENTS.
4. WHILE AFD REPORTS A QUICKER RESPONSE TIME FROM AMONG THE
THREE EMERGENCY SERVICES, THEY STILL MUST RESPOND FROM A
FIXED LOCATION, WHILE POLICE OFFICERS ARE OUT WITH MORE
VEHICLES ROAMING THE STREETS. AN AFD ENGINE USUALLY HAS 3
FIRE FIGHTERS ASSIGNED TO IT. BY HAVING OFFICER CAPABLE OF
PROVIDING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AT AN INCIDENT THERE WOULD BE
EXTRA HANDS TO HELP AFD. WHILE AFD AND EMS WORK AND TRAIN
TOGETHER ALL THE TIME, THE POLICE CAN DO LITTLE TO ASSIST THEM
DUE TO THE LACK OF EMERGENCY TRAINING. AFD SHOULD BE
BROUGHT IN TO INSTRUCT THEIR PROCEDURES AS A MEDICAL CALL,
TO HELP OFFICERS UNDERSTAND WHY THE DO WHAT THEY DO.
5. WITH MORE APD UNITS ON THE STREET THAN THE OTHER EMERGENCY
SERVICES THE CITY IS MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY, BY NOT GETTING
AED’S AND PROVIDING CPR TRAINING, TO BETTER SERVE OUR
CITIZENS. BUYING THE NECESSARY AED EQUIPMENT AND PROVIDING
THE CPR TRAINING WOULD BE GOOD PUBLIC RELATIONS MOVE FOR
THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
6. ANNUAL AED AND CPR TRAINING WILL BE REQUIRED OF ALL POLICE
EMPLOYEES. THE TRAINING ACADEMY HAS STARTED A PROGRAM
WITH THE 95TH CADET CLASS TO KEEP THEM UP TO DATE IN CPR AND
FIRST AID; THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL EMPLOYEES.
7. THIS IS THE SAME REASONING AS FOR #6 ABOVE.
8. ONLY OFFICERS THAT ARE CURRENT ON THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE
GIVEN AN AED DEVICE OR CPR SUPPLIES.
9. THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD PROVIDE CPR TRAINING
FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, BUY THE AUTOMATED EXTERNAL
DEFIBRILLATOR’S FOR OUR PATROL UNITS AND BUILDINGS. IT IS NOT
JUST CALLS TO ASSIST CITIZENS WHEN AN AED MIGHT BE USED. THE
DEVICE IF LOCATED IN OUR BUILDINGS COULD BE USED FOR OUR OWN
EMPLOYEES AND THE VISITORS TO THE MANY FACILITIES WE
OPERATE. AN AED HAS A COST THAT AVERAGES $3,500.00. THERE ARE
POSSIBLE GRANTS FROM PRIVATE SERVICE GROUPS AND FROM SOME
GOVERNMENTAL SOURCE IN THE HEALTH FIELDS.
10. THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS A STATE LAW GOVERNING THE PURCHASE
OF, THE USE OF, TRAINING ON AND THE LIMITS OF CIVIL LIABILITY FOR
THE USE OF AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR’S. THE
DEPARTMENT WOULD ONLY NEED TO BUY THE EQUIPMENT, PROVIDE
THE TRAINING AND WRITE A POLICY LAYING OUT ITS USE BY OUR
EMPLOYEES.
ASSESS