It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

And it’s only a matter of time before it saves someone’s life in Bremerton.

Patrol officers from the Bremerton Police Department now have eight Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to take with them on the road in the event they come across someone in cardiac distress.

“I’ve already offered pizza to the first officer that can get a save with one of these and we have a good friendly competition going on, particularly with the fire department,” Bremerton Police Chief Steve Strachan recently told the city council. “If a person goes into full arrest in the City of Bremerton, there will be lots of people showing up as quickly as possible to their door, which is great. It’s the way it should be.”

The AEDs were provided through a Washington State Department of Emergency Management grant made available through the Department of Homeland Security. All of the devices are portable and able to go in patrol cars for easy access, just like the first aid kits officers already carry.

“It’s pretty simple,” said Officer Robbie Davis, who helped set up the kits for officers to take to the streets. “You just turn it on and it tells you what to do.

I mean, these are so simple that even I can use them.”

The police headquarters on Burwell Street already has three AED stations, but now residents will be able to benefit from the lifesaving technology as well.

“The chief wants everybody in the department to learn how to use these whether they have one in a car or not,” Davis said, noting that officers can pick them up at the station at the start of a shift, just like they do with the rest of their equipment.

“The fact is, (and Bremerton Fire Chief Al Duke) can tell you this, these really are lifesavers,” said Chief Strachan. “It’s just an amazing technology.”

The devices come with a special key that lessens the voltage for children eight years or younger and those that weigh less than 55 pounds.