Ray County deputies will soon have another potentially lifesaving tool at their disposal when encountering a medical emergency.

Commissioners recently approved $21,796 in opioid settlement funding for the purchase of 20 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for use by the sheriff’s office. The devices come with an eightyear warranty, while the batteries carry a four-year warranty.

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Noon explained that deputies frequently arrive at medical calls before EMS, and in some cases, response times are long enough that deputies begin transporting patients to a location where they can meet emergency personnel.

The purchase will provide AEDs for patrol vehicles, allowing deputies to have the devices available while responding throughout the county. Noon also plans to expand AED coverage at the courthouse and jail, with any remaining units potentially placed at other county facilities as needed.

Noon presented information showing opioidrelated cardiac arrests accounted for 17.…