Posse AED - Freeman (Courtesy)
Source: Edhat
New lifesaving AEDs (automated external defibrillator) for immediate installation into the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicles for use in the field have been donated by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse (SBCSBP)
The initial donation of these 26 AEDs will replace the current inventory of these vital lifesaving devices as they are cycled out of service.
“This is an exciting milestone on our way to supplying 70 new AED units – one for each patrol car in the entire county – to keep Santa Barbara County residents safe with lifesaving equipment,” said Sean Koffel, President of the SBCSBP Board of Directors. The SBCSBP is currently raising additional funds to replace every one of the old AED units.
Immediate access to these state-of-the-art AED devices can improve chances of survival by up to 60%. AEDs have a lifespan of about 15 years, meaning that this donation will help Santa Barbara County citizens and first responders for years to come.
This donation is the result of the generosity and hard work of the SBCSBP’s supportive community across multiple fundraising events and donor outreach campaigns. The Posse will continue its AED fundraising campaign efforts with the goal of replacing the entire inventory of AEDs by the end of 2024.
The Sheriff’s Office is adding plaques to each AED to honor the names of donors responsible for the purchase of that AED and this important upgrade in our county’s lifesaving infrastructure. The donors will be informed each time their AED saves a life in the field.
The SBCSBP Board is making a special donation of an AED in honor of long-time SBCSBP Board Secretary Marianne Freeman after her passing last year – to honor her extraordinary service to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse.
In the recent past the Sheriff’s Posse has helped the Sheriff’s Office obtain much needed emergency equipment including COVID-19 personal protection equipment, protective vests, night vision goggles, specialized weapons, computer equipment, drug sniffing and patrol/tracking/bomb/explosive detection dogs, a headquarters barn for its Mounted Enforcement Unit and specialized equipment for the dive team It has also supported the highly effective DARE program in north county elementary schools teaching students to develop good decision-making skills and understanding of the harmful effects of substance abuse, bullying and violence.
The SBCSBP is a 501(c)(3) organization focusing on enhancing relationships between the community and County law enforcement while raising funds to fill the gap between a constrained county budget and the County’s increasing public needs. If interested in supporting the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse or to learn more about the SBCSBP, the AED campaign and additional ways to support County law enforcement, visit the SBCSBP website at SBSheriffsPosse.org.