Two Brusly Officers Save Lives in Separate April Emergencies

Five first responders also to be honored at future meeting

BRUSLY — Two Brusly police officers saved lives in separate April emergencies, and Monday night the town council made it official — but the full story includes five more first responders who helped pull a man back from cardiac arrest.

Lt./Det. Keegan Allen and Cpl. Devin Byrd received Life Saving Awards at the May 11 council meeting. Chief Jonathan Lefeaux presented the honors and noted that paramedics Brady Doucet, Raymond Ferreira, and Summer Smith, along with firefighters Brent Bishop and Dalton Dexter, were equally deserving, but unable to attend. Lefeaux said the department plans to recognize them publicly at a future meeting.

In the first incident, Lt./Det. Allen responded after being identified as the closest unit to the scene — a call that took him outside his normal jurisdiction. He arrived to find a man in a wheelchair under a carport who had been reported as breathing, but found him unresponsive with no pulse. Allen began CPR until a WBR EMS sprint unit and West Baton Rouge Fire personnel arrived and took over. Paramedics Brady Doucet, Raymond Ferreira, and Summer Smith, along with firefighters Brent Bishop and Dalton Dexter, worked the scene and helped bring the patient back. He was transported and later made a full recovery. Chief Lefeaux noted that Allen's willingness to respond outside his normal jurisdiction very well saved the man's life.

In the second incident, Cpl. Byrd responded to an overdose call in the Brusly town limits and found an unconscious woman with extremely shallow breathing. Recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose, Byrd retrieved Narcan from his patrol unit and administered four doses of the medication before the woman regained consciousness. She was then transported for additional care. She also made a full recovery.

"A lot of times people see the police department and only see the negative side," Lefeaux told the council. "But this is what these folks really want to do — protect and serve. We have an outstanding group. I couldn't be more proud of these fellas."

Council members echoed the chief's remarks, with one noting that the work of officers often goes unrecognized by the public.