Beaverson Foundation grant equips Wayne County deputies with lifesaving emergency tools

Thanks to a grant from the Beaverson Foundation, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office has taken a step toward improving emergency response by purchasing 25 automated external defibrillators, 35 Stop the Bleed kits and 35 tourniquet kits, ensuring deputies can provide immediate lifesaving aid when seconds matter.

The Beaverson Foundation, founded by the late Audrey L. Beaverson, is a community-focused philanthropic fund with a history of supporting local initiatives including efforts to strengthen public safety and equip first responders with essential resources.

“We often arrive on scene before medical personnel,” Sheriff Tom Ballinger said. “Having AEDs in our cruisers gives us the ability to intervene right away during cardiac emergencies. This is about giving our deputies the tools they need to save lives. This grant provides us with the tools that make a real difference in life-threatening situations. We are deeply grateful to the Beaverson Foundation for supporting the safety of Wayne County residents.”

Cardiac arrest can occur with little warning, and survival rates drop rapidly with each passing minute. An AED device analyzes the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, delivers an electric shock to help restore a normal heartbeat in someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Quick access to an AED can be the difference between life and death.

Ballinger said the new AEDs align with the sheriff’s office's mission of public safety and community service. Deputies will receive updated CPR and AED training from the Wooster Township Fire Department to ensure they are fully prepared to use the devices.

Stop the Bleed kits are designed to control severe bleeding, the leading preventable cause of death after trauma. Each kit typically includes items such as gauze, pressure bandages, protective gloves and hemostatic dressings that help with blood clotting. When used properly, these supplies can stabilize a victim until paramedics arrive.

Tourniquets are specialized devices applied to an injured arm or leg to stop life-threatening bleeding by cutting off blood flow above a wound. Deputies can prevent significant blood loss before emergency medical care is available.

“These units will be out on the road every day,” Ballinger said. “If this initiative helps save even one life, it will have been worth it.”

Sheriff’s deputies are frequently the first on the scene of accidents, overdoses and other emergencies in Wayne County. With patrol vehicles now equipped with AEDs, tourniquets and Stop the Bleed kits, deputies will be better prepared to intervene immediately when lives are in jeopardy.

The sheriff’s office encourages the public to learn CPR, become familiar with AEDs and recognize the signs of cardiac arrest, actions that can dramatically increase the chances of survival during an emergency.

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.