Police save resident's life

Plainville police officers used an external defibrillator April 26 to help a 73-year-old resident who was unresponsive and apparently not breathing, according to a police report.

Sgt. Charles Smedick and Officers Patrick Huntley and Gregory Arvai were sent to a local residence after an emergency call from the resident's wife, police said. Smedick, Huntley and Arvai said they found the man unresponsive. Smedick checked for vital signs and discovered the man was not breathing and had no pulse.

Huntley and Arvai started cardiopulmonary resuscitation while Smedick attached the defibrillator, which apparently indicated a shock was needed. After a shock was administered to the man, he started breathing on his own, police said. American Medical Response ambulance personnel, who had been called to the scene, arrived, gave the man more treatment and transported him to an area hospital, police said.

Capt. Peter Costanzo said the three officers each received a letter of commendation. Costanzo said, "It is seldom that officers arrive on the scene of a medical emergency and are able to bring someone back to life."

The man's name is not being released by request of his family, police said. Costanzo said the letters of commendation are being put in the officers' files. "It is with great pride that I write this letter of commendation to these officers who showed the best of what the Plainville Police Department has to offer the citizens of Plainville," Costanzo wrote in the letter.