Three Cleveland police officers and a Cleveland firefighter were recently recognized for their lifesaving efforts. Officer Denton Vaughan, Corporal Brandon Wood, Sergeant Brandon Landress, and firefighter Payton Cagle worked together to save a young woman’s life after she overdosed earlier this month.
On February 2, the officers responded to a woman unresponsive and not breathing at an apartment complex in Cleveland. Officer Denton was the first to arrive and observed the girl’s mother in the parking lot, attempting to administer CPR on her adult daughter, reports WRWH News.
“The daughter’s face and neck had turned blue, and her fingers and toes were bluish-purple,” a commendation letter to the officers’ states. The mother estimated that her daughter might have been down for about thirty minutes in the near-freezing temperatures. “Officer Vaughan felt for a pulse, but could not locate one, and immediately took over CPR.”
Corporal Wood arrived and assisted, while Sergeant Landress administered NARCAN – a drug used to treat narcotic overdoses in emergencies.
“Officers continued CPR until Cleveland Firefighter Payton Cagle took over, and then they assisted him with still no pulse detected for several more minutes,” the commendation states. “They noticed her hand move and checked again, finally finding a pulse. The daughter then sat up and began to speak.”
Cleveland Police Chief Jeffery Shoemaker read the commendation aloud during Monday night’s Cleveland City Council meeting. He told those gathered that the quality of professionalism demonstrated by the first responders was unmatched.
“The quick, decisive actions, and determination of these officers and this firefighter, not only saved this young woman’s life but saved her mother and her children from an insufferable loss. Their actions reflect highly upon themselves, their profession, this department, and the City of Cleveland.”
Officials presented each officer with a copy of the commendation letter and placed copies in their personnel files.
At the end of the presentation, the council and audience gave the four men a standing ovation.
