2 Prescott Police officers receive life-saving awards
Officers successfully applied their training during medical emergency

Police Chief Debora Black, left, poses with officers Chad Beyea and Nicholas Cerda. (Prescott Police Department/Courtesy photo)

Police Chief Debora Black, left, poses with officers Chad Beyea and Nicholas Cerda. (Prescott Police Department/Courtesy photo)

Prescott Police Department (PPD) officers Chad Beyea and Nicholas Cerda were presented Life Saving Awards on Wednesday, May 29, for taking quick and effective measures during a medical emergency earlier this spring.

On the morning of April 4, 2019, Beyea and Cerda were dispatched to a residence in Prescott due to report of a 74-year-old man with an apparent accidental gunshot wound to his upper thigh, according to a PPD news release.

The officers found the victim lying in the living room of the residence, bleeding heavily from the wound, the release states. Beyea quickly applied direct pressure to the wound while Cerda retrieved a tourniquet from his medical kit.

The tourniquet was applied above the wound and appeared to have stopped the bleeding, the release states. The officers continued to apply pressure to the wound until relieved by responding medical personnel. Prescott Fire Department personnel confirmed that the tourniquet was applied appropriately and effectively to the victim.

The victim was transported to Yavapai Regional Medical Center and later flown to Honor Health Deer Valley Medical Center for further treatment.

When he got to the medical center, he was immediately assessed by their trauma team and was deemed to be stable “in large part due to the application of the tourniquet,” Trauma Medical Director Joseph Sucher told officers. “We have no doubt that due to the nature of injury and the medication the patient was on, that the application of the tourniquet was a lifesaving measure.”

“All Prescott Police Officers are equipped with Individual First Aid Kits and trained on the proper application of tourniquets,” PPD spokesperson Corey Kasun said. “We are extremely proud of both Officer Beyea and Officer Cerda for their quick thinking and lifesaving actions during the course of this incident.”

Information and photo provided by Prescott Police Department.


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