Six months ago, Mineral County Trooper Brian Cavanaugh, assisted with saving the life of an unresponsive male.
Cavanaugh was awarded the Life Saving Ribbon for his actions on June 17.
On Monday, Dec. 15, while Trooper Cavanaugh and Lieutenant Harkleroad where at the Fallon Nevada Highway Patrol substation, they were advised by Department of Motor Vehicle personnel that an adult male, who was within their facility, was not feeling well.
The male was unresponsive when Cavanaugh and Harkleroad arrived on scene.
A faint pulse was located by Cavanaugh but eventually faded away. The man did not respond to several sternum rubs.
Cavanaugh and Harkleroad moved the man to the floor and began life saving efforts with an AMBU bag (self-resuscitator) as two officers from the Fallon Police Department assisted with chest compressions and an AED defibrillator.
Both troopers would continue life saving measures until emergency medical service personnel arrived who also had to use the defibrillator on the male, several times, finally reestablishing a pulse.
The man was transported to Banner Churchill Community Hospital and eventually to Renown Medical Center where he survived a cardiac incident.
He was praised for his prompt and professional actions which saved the subject’s life.
Cavanaugh began his law enforcement career in Hawthorne employed by Mineral County Sheriff’s Office. He would later transfer to the Nevada Highway Patrol.
When asked about the incident, Cavanaugh was humble in taking praise for his part in saving the man’s life.
He would go on to say that he is glad to be back in Mineral County.
“I transferred back to Mineral County because I enjoy the people and small town life.”
