Rappahannock Electric Cooperative Funds 116 LifeVac Devices for Spotsylvania Sheriff's Deputies

Date:                September 17, 2026

Contact:           Casey Hollins
                        Managing Director—Communications and Public Relations
                        (540) 891-5908, news@myrec.coop 

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative Funds 116 LifeVac Devices for Spotsylvania Sheriff's Deputies

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) is helping equip the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies with 116 LifeVac airway-clearance devices for use during choking emergencies.

REC’s donation will fund the first phase of the Sheriff’s Office initiative to make the portable devices available to  deputies who may arrive on the scene before emergency medical responders. Deputies are trained in CPR and established choking-response procedures. LifeVac provides an additional option when those methods do not clear an airway obstruction.

“Our partnership with Rappahannock Electric Cooperative is critical to the success of our mission,” said Lt. Col. Del Myrick of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. “We share a common goal of saving lives and providing our citizens the best service possible.”

REC Physical Security Specialist Troy Wheeler helped coordinate the partnership. As a former first responder, he recognized the potential value of making the devices available to deputies in the field.

"I know how quickly a choking incident can turn into a life-threatening emergency,” said Wheeler. “Every second matters. With this partnership, we hope to give deputies another lifesaving tool that can make a critical difference when seconds count.”

The donation builds on REC’s ongoing partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, which has included public service announcements and community-safety education.

About Rappahannock Electric Cooperative 

Serving more than 185,000 connections across portions of 22 Virginia counties, REC is a pillar in its communities, with over 18,000 miles of power lines extending from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay. For more information about REC, please visit myrec.coop. Follow REC on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Photo: Lt. Col. Del Myrick, with the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office demonstrates how a LifeVac works on a volunteer from the Sheriff’s Office Cadet Program.