Cranford, NJ cops bring man back after his pulse stops

This Friday is not unlike many others from the past seven years. The #BlueFriday tradition continues as we find examples of police officers across New Jersey stepping up to save lives.

Today we honor two Cranford cops who helped bring a man back after his pulse stopped and he lost consciousness.

Last week, Officers Daniel Donnerstag and Joshua Sousa were called to a scene with a medical emergency.  A 53-year-old man was having chest pains and soon after the officers arrived the man became unconscious and the officers lost his pulse.

Thinking quickly and acting immediately the officers began "rescue breathing" and using the Automated External Defibrillator and CPR.

According to the report from police, shortly after the rescue attempts began the man gasped and became conscious. Another example of local cops using their training and calm approach to emergencies to bring a man back from the brink of death.

Congratulations to Officers Donnerstag and Sousa for helping another would-be victim return to his family and life.

Thank you to all of the officers who will be on call this weekend as the rest of us enjoy time with friends and family.

It's comforting to know that there is a trained officer minutes away.

Here's a clip from the police report on the incident that puts the need for trained cops in perspective:

According to the American Heart Association, more than 475,000 Americans die each year from cardiac arrest – with many of those medical events occurring outside of the hospital environment.  CPR in conjunction with the successful deployment of an AED can double or triple a patient’s survival rate in these settings.

Chief Greco praised the efforts of all first responders involved in this rescue effort.  “First responders using their training and experience and acting as a team led to the successful saving of a Cranford resident’s life,” Chief Greco said.

As I say every time I wrap up a speech to a law enforcement group: There is a thin line between civilization and savagery ... and that line is Blue.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.