THATCHER — A 56-year-old man who suffered severe medical incident while playing pickleball Wednesday morning was rescued thanks to a fellow player who knew CPR and a Thatcher Police officer’s use of an automated external defibrillator.
Dispatch was alerted to the man’s medical distress at 7:42 a.m. at the pickleball courts at the new Thatcher park complex on Reay Lane and 8th Street.
One of the victim’s fellow players was a registered nurse, who immediately began performing CPR on the man, who was not conscious or breathing. When TPD officer Jason Larson arrived, he deployed the AED and the victim regained consciousness.
He was transported to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center via Lifeline Ambulance.
“Several years ago, we were awarded a grant from the United Way to equip every police vehicle with an AED. They have been used several times over the years and continue to be an invaluable piece of equipment that our officers have available to them. AED’s and effective CPR saves lives,” Thatcher Police Chief Shaffen Woods said in a prepared statement.
“We would like to encourage anyone that has not been trained in CPR to get trained. You never know when you may need it. You could be the difference in someone’s life, which is likely the case today,” he continued.
