Last week, members of the Janesville Police Department and the Janesville Fire Department attended a national conference focused on collaborative emergency responses, not knowing they would soon put their expertise to the ultimate test. At the 2025 Active Shooter Integrated Response Conference, held in San Marcos, Texas, these individuals from Janesville were recognized for their life-saving efforts during a real-world emergency, as reported by the City of Janesville.
According to the City of Janesville press release, the team was engaged in a conference vendor program when suddenly, an emergency struck. A conference attendee, standing with Janesville's School Resource Officer Devyn Austin-Johnson, collapsed unresponsive. Officer Austin-Johnson quickly checked for vital signs while Sergeant Jeremy Wiley and Firefighter/Paramedic Mitchell Severson joined in to assist. As Officer Michael Rear called 911, Officer Carmen Roche managed the scene's entry points as the attendees waited for EMS to arrive. The rapid and skilled response from these individuals, despite being away from their home base and in the midst of a gathering dedicated to discussing such crises, was nothing short of exemplary.
It was quickly determined that the person had suffered a heart attack after collapsing and turning blue. The Janesville team acted fast, using a defibrillator from a conference vendor, which helped save the person’s life. When EMS arrived, the patient was awake and able to talk, showing the success of the quick response by JPD and JFD staff, as detailed by the City of Janesville.
The following day, the Janesville group received recognition at the conference for their quick thinking and teamwork. "The City salutes the team for their excellent response and thanks them for making Janesville proud," as stated the City of Janesville's news release. For those seeking further information about the incident or the conference, contact is directed to JPD Sergeant Benjamin Thompson, with the contact number provided in the official press release.
