BEND, OR -- A grant from the Helen Lorenz Foundation is helping put 32 defibrillators in Bend Police cars. The devices are being installed and will be used during patrol operations.
The department has also initiated CPR training to allow for seamless patient care in emergency situations, no matter the first responder on scene.
Recent statistics show a 50% survival rate for cardiac arrest patients in Bend with a shocakable rhythm who are treated with a defibrillator in the field. Nationwide, the survival rate is about 33%.