Riverside Healthcare

Protecting the Hearts of Sheriff’s Deputies

For the men and women who serve and protect, Riverside Healthcare developed the Healthy Heroes initiative, a collaborative community model that provides health screenings, education, resources and support to sheriff’s deputies.

The initiative was inspired by the death of Kankakee County Sheriff’s Deputy Zeb Pfeiffer in 2015. Pfeiffer had an undiagnosed heart condition and died after suffering a heart attack while exercising. With the support of Pfeiffer’s family, Riverside Healthcare and the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department launched Healthy Heroes to help deputies examine and manage their health and well-being.

Healthy Heroes began by serving 85 deputies and correction officers in the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department. It expanded to include the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department and, through a city-wide event, reached police officers from the cities of Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Grant Park, St. Anne and Manteno—for a total of 95 additional participants.

At no cost to deputies, Healthy Heroes provides screenings and tests, including:

• Blood pressure;
• Glucose;
• Body mass index;
• Peripheral arterial disease;
• Cholesterol; and
• Electrocardiogram.

After the screenings, an educational presentation is held to review department results and provide deputies with resources and guidelines for healthier living. Nurses, emergency medical services staff and volunteers dedicate their time and expertise to the initiative.