18-04-2025
New life saving device added to Colbert County Jail for inmates and corrections officers
COLBERT COUNTY, Ala.(WHNT)– The Colbert County Jail now has a new life-saving device that would help inmates or corrections officers in the event of a medical emergency.
Every second counts during a medical emergency.
The Sheriff's Office recently purchased, the new device–called 'Lucas Device' to help corrections officers when they need to give an inmate or fellow employee, chest compressions.
Sheriff Eric Balentine, says the device would help respond to the medical emergency in a more efficient way.
'This instrument is made so that goes the right depth, that it does a chest compressions correctly, and it frees up the exercise of hands' Balentine said.
Sheriff Balentine tells News 19, the Lucas device is put over someone's body, the user then presses a button and the automatic compressions begin.
The device was paid for by the opioid settlement proceeds.
Balentine says, this device could save lives if drugs are brought into the jail by inmates, in which Balentine says, is a rare occurrence.
'People get in jail they have ways of getting contraband in and a lot of times that is an opioid, and if they overdose, which is pretty common on opioids, this device is really going to come in handy for us to just give an extra life-saving measure and have it on hand' Balentine said.
Balentine says even though a person is in jail for a crime, it's the Sheriff's Office duty to make sure inmates are safe.
'It's our responsibility to ensure the well-being in the health and the safety of our inmates. As part of our job is keeping psych and provide life-saving measures if need be so this will just ensure that we have another tool toolbox if someone has a cardiac event' Balentine said.
Balentine tells News 19, he hopes to get a few more of these Lucas Devices' for patrol deputies out in the field.
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