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On Aug. 6, Colbree was dispatched to the New York Sports Club on a report of a person in cardiac arrest. He was the first emergency worker to arrive and discovered that a Good Samaritan who had some training in CPR was offering medical assistance to the patient.
Colbree determined the patient was not breathing and did not have a pulse. He used his medical training and equipment to shock the patient with an Automatic External Defibrillator AED and continued to administer CPR. This patient survived the cardiac arrest due to immediate CPR, quick application of the AED, and the superior pre-hospital care by all first responders, especially Colbree, police said.
“Our department is always striving to provide superior police services and at the Greenwich Police Department, that includes emergency medical care," said Police Chief James Heavey. "In this instance Officer Colbree’s professional demeanor, decisive action, and medical knowledge all came together to insure the best possible outcome for the patient. On behalf of the patient, his family, and the community I commend your actions.”
The Town of Greenwich is structured to mirror the “Chain of Survival” concept as endorsed by the American Heart Association, said police. ?While the national average for successful resuscitations in the out of hospital setting hovers at about 9 percent, in Greenwich it was 40 percent in 2013.
It was in 1997 that AED’s were introduced into the town's first response system. Within six months, five cardiac arrest victims were saved, police said.
All police cars and patrol boats carry these devices, and all police officers have extensive training in their use.
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