Above and beyond: 2 Kaua‘i Police Department members receive Life Saving Medals

They didn’t do it for any recognition. There were no awards necessary. These two members of the Kaua‘i Police Department were doing what they signed up to do — protect and serve their community.

Serving the Garden Isle on one day in December 2024 meant both of them would respond to a report of an unconscious driver that became a joint effort to save the driver’s life.

Sgt. Mike Nii and Officer Nicholas Kam were honored Jan. 24 during a meeting of the Kaua‘i Police Commission for their extraordinary professionalism, composure and life-saving actions.

“Today, we honor the bravery and selflessness of these officers, who went above and beyond to save a life,” said Kaua‘i Police Chief Todd Raybuck.

Nii and Kam responded Dec. 12, 2024, to the reported unconscious driver in a vehicle on Kapule Highway. The vehicle, still in gear, came to a stop against an embankment after drifting into the opposite lane of traffic.

The sergeant arrived at the scene first. He discovered the driver unresponsive and immediately began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.

American Heart Association information says the immediate use of the emergency life-saving procedure — performed when the heart stops beating — can double or triple a person’s chances of survival after cardiac arrest.

Kam arrived shortly after Nii with his Kaua‘i Police Department-issued automated external defibrillator, or AED.

An AED can analyze a person’s heart and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help re-establish a regular beat. According to the American Heart Association, a person’s chance of surviving decreases by 7% to 10% every minute a normal heartbeat isn’t restored.

Kam assessed the driver’s pulse and delivered a life-saving shock.

Nii resumed CPR until fire and medical personnel arrived to take over the driver’s emergency care and medical treatment.

“Their quick actions, dedication and commitment to protecting our community exemplify the very best of what it means to serve,” said Raybuck. “Their teamwork and adherence to emergency protocols were crucial in giving the individual the best chance for survival.”