|
|
|
|
|
Home  News Latest Health Department distributes life-saving defibrillators
|
|
Health Department distributes life-saving defibrillators |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, 28 March 2007 |
By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor
Statistics show that more than 200,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year.
Upwards of 50,000 of these deaths could have been prevented if someone had initiated the Cardiac Chain of Survival, and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) had been available for immediate use at the time of the emergency.
And while no one wants to go into a cardiac arrest situation, if it should happen, Conrad may be one of the best places to be.
Though a Federal Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program, the Pondera County Health Department has just received seven AED.
The portable devices cost $1,700 each. Pondera County Health Nurse Cynthia Grubb and Ruth Erickson, Director of Emergency Services for the Pondera Medical Center, worked together with five community partners to apply for the seven AEDs to be used throughout the county.
“It took seven months between the selection and reception of the AEDs and lots of partnering,” Grubb noted.
The grant is designed to provide AEDs to rural ambulance services, rural non-transporting quick response units, public safety agencies and public buildings or gathering places.
Erickson commented, “We had no assurance until they came that we would receive any of the seven units we requested, however, we received them all.”
 AED RECEIVERS -- From the left in front, County Health Nurse Cynthia Grubb who helped facilitate the grant for the seven Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and Commissioner Sandy Broesder. In the back is Fire Chief Kevin Moritz, Everett Breding of Search and Rescue, Police Chief Gary Dent, and Emergency Services Director for the PMC, Ruth Erickson who helped work on the AED grant. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler
One is for the City Police Department, applicant Chief Gary Dent, to be used in their patrolling car.
One goes to the Conrad Fire Department; Chief Kevin Moritz was the applicant.
Still another AED went to the Pondera County Search and Rescue. The unit will be housed at the Conrad Building Center with Search and Rescue Coordinator Everett Breding.
One will be at the Pondera County Courthouse, the applicant being the commissioners Cyndi Johnson, Sandy Broesder and Joe Christiaens.
The seventh and final AED will be at the Conrad High School, the applicants being Jim Carroll and Craig Barringer.
The PMC Emergency Outreach has agreed to provide the CPR/AED training for the community. One of the scheduled training sessions has already taken place at the courthouse, specifically for the Sheriff’s Department.
Other scheduled trainings include Search and Rescue, CHS and the police department. Additionally the PMC staff has agreed to check the AED batteries and provide yearly trainings, said Grubb.
“This will be an important link in actual emergency preparedness for this community,” said Grubb.
Conrad and Pondera County has just become a safer place to live in.
|
|
