Iowa State Patrol trooper helps save life of RAGBRAI cyclist

(ABC 6 News) – The Iowa State Patrol posted on their social media pages on Thursday that a trooper helped save the life of a RAGBRAI cyclist.

Trooper Darren Flaherty assisted other first responders in using his AED, or automated external defibrillator when a cyclist went into cardiac arrest near Charles City.

The Iowa State Patrol says that all troopers carry AEDs in their patrol car.

According to the American Red Cross, AEDs “are used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It’s a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.”