Improving Emergency Response: Richmond County Deputies Now Equipped with AEDs

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Working with community partners to enhance access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), FirstHealth is pleased to announce that every sheriff's deputy in Richmond County now has an AED in their patrol car.

These critical life-saving devices make all the difference when someone is having a cardiac event, and when paired with proper training, they help ensure that Richmond County deputies are ready to respond appropriately if they arrive at a medical emergency before EMS crews.

Community Partnership Expands Access to Life-Saving Devices

"We are so thrilled to see how our Community Health Services team has collaborated with our county partners to make this dream a reality," said Christy Land, MSN, R.N., president of FirstHealth's southern region and hospital administrator of Moore Regional Hospital - Richmond.

"We'd also like to say a special thank you to Richmond County Sheriff's Office Chief Investigator Mitchell Watson, who was instrumental in helping us install these AEDs in deputy vehicles."

Sixty-eight of the 72 AEDs installed in deputy vehicles were funded by the Richmond Community Foundation, and the other four were provided by the RACE-CARS program.

About the RACE-CARS Program

The RACE-CARS Trial aims to improve outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) victims through the use of AEDs and through expanded training for hands-only CPR. A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart either stops or has an irregular heartbeat.

Led by a team of researchers at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, RACE-CARS is a collaborative effort involving community EMS agencies, hospitals, 911 dispatch centers, fire, rescue, law enforcement agencies and communities throughout North Carolina.

Sixty-two counties, including Richmond County, are participating in the 7-year trial. Cardiovascular disease remains the top cause of death in Richmond County in 2025, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts to improve heart health and emergency response.

"We know that quick treatment is absolutely critical during a cardiac arrest, so having more AEDs available to more first responders is yet another way we can work to treat patients effectively and quickly," Land said.

"Whether it's hands-only CPR or the use of AED, anyone can save a life if they are ready to respond."