New heart rate monitors at the Shelby County Jail

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The Shelby County jail recently purchased remote heart rate sensors that have been proven to be potentially lifesaving for at-risk inmates.

When the device sounds an alarm about an inmate, it is saying their heart rate has climbed into a very dangerous zone.

The heart rate sensors are placed in secure bands that are then attach to at-risk inmates on their ankle or wrist.

The system works by using Bluetooth technology to transmit real-time heart rate data between the sensors and electronic monitoring tablets.

Sheriff John Samaniego said in a statement “in the first 48hrs of developing Custody Protect we are already seeing the benefits the product has to offer.”

Captain Russell Bedsole, Shelby County Jail Commander, said when they discovered this product called Custody and Protect, they began a series of trials inside the jail to ensure this technology would work and be beneficial.

“This device certainly proved to us that it was well worth the investment and possibly saved a life,” Bedsole said.

When deputies receive an alarm of an inmate whose heart rate is outside an acceptable range, deputies and medical staff can respond in seconds.

Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.

Copyright 2022 WBRC. All rights reserved.