July 22, 2005
Sheriff Bud Olson
600 East Fourth Street
Chaska, Minnesota 55322
Dear Sheriff Olson:
The purpose of this letter is to call your attention to the exemplary and professional performance of Carver County Sheriff’s Deputy Elton W. Anderson.
Yesterday morning I encountered a medical situation at our home that required the summoning of EMS. I called 9-1-1 and requested EMS to respond; giving the 9-1-1 dispatcher a synopsis of what was taking place.
Within minutes of my 9-1-1 call, Deputy Anderson arrived on the scene and came into the house carrying his ‘crash bag’ (for lack of a better term) which contained various First Aid items including a tank of oxygen. Simultaneous with my explaining the series of events preceding the incident to him, Deputy Anderson was effecting measures to get the oxygen administered to the victim. I was impressed that, ‘without missing a beat’, Deputy Anderson asked the victim if he preferred a nasal cannula or a full face mask for the oxygen to be administered. He also initiated radio contact with the ambulance from Ridgeview Medical Center; updated the paramedics of the victims condition and obtained an ETA.
Once the ambulance arrived, we both ’stepped back’ and let the paramedics ‘do their work’. The victim was placed on a stretcher and loaded into the ambulance. Before departing for the hospital, the paramedics spent about thirty minutes ’stabilizing’ the patient.
As this event was unfolding, Deputy Anderson didn’t know that I was a former Deputy Sheriff for the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department or a former Emergency Medical Technician. It was only after the situation was ’under control’ did I inform Deputy Anderson of my past law enforcement and EMS experience. Then, while the paramedics worked to stabilize the patient, Deputy Anderson and I discussed a variety of topics of mutual interest and exchanged similarities about my past and his present. It was evident that Deputy Anderson was concerned enough about the outcome of this event that he didn’t pack up his ‘crash bag’ and abruptly leave. That shows great compassion.
Please extend our personal, most sincere and heartfelt thanks to Deputy Anderson for the professional demeanor he exhibited during the duration of this unfortunate medical emergency event. He represented you, and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office, extremely well and in a highly professional manner.
You know, that as a retired law enforcement officer, I am a very staunch supporter of law enforcement and actively support those men and women who have chosen to make our cities, counties, communities and schools safer places in which to live, learn and work.
To that end, I have posted a copy of this letter on my website (www.deltadickshow.com) for all the world to see.
I am also going to feature Deputy Anderson and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office on one of my upcoming Old Tyme Music Internet Shows for all the world to hear. I’ll let you know well in advance when that show saluting Deputy Anderson and your office will be broadcast (and heard) throughout the world via the internet.
Carver County residents can be proud and are very fortunate to have a Sheriff’s Office and EMS system composed of individuals, like Deputy Anderson, who are well qualified and ready to respond quickly and appropriately when called upon to do so.
Sincerely,
Richard E. Odoms
cc: Mr. James M. Ische,
Carver County Board Chairman
Keith Anderson, Editor
Waconia Patriot
