HUNTERTOWN, IND. – To help meet a growing need for critical emergency response capabilities in Allen County, Parkview Health has donated five automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to the Huntertown Fire Department. The AED is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart that can stop an irregular heart rhythm and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest.
“Driven by our mission to improve health and inspire well-being, we are proud to support the Huntertown Fire Department by providing an important resource that allows them to be better prepared for medical emergencies while serving our community,” said Trent Miller, senior vice president of pre-hospital and emergency, Parkview Health.
According to the American Heart Association, most sudden cardiac arrests result from ventricular fibrillation, which is a rapid and unsynchronized heart rhythm that begins in the heart’s lower ventricles. The heart must be “defibrillated” quickly, as a victim’s chance of surviving drops by seven to 10 percent for every minute a normal heartbeat isn’t restored.
“A long-term mission of our department since 2006 has been to research and implement strategies to improve the outcome of cardiac arrest patients,” said Mike Feely, Fire Chief, Huntertown Fire Department. “This donation has allowed us to replace near end-of-life defibrillators that we currently carry on our fire trucks. We are now able to use budgeted monies to continually improve our EMS delivery as we transition from providing ALS care to full-fledged paramedic care by the end of the year. This allows us to provide the highest level of care to our community and visitors to northwest Allen County. We are proud to receive this donation from Parkview Health and appreciate their commitment to our community.”
AEDs are often placed in public areas where large numbers of people gather. They are typically used by non-medical personnel such as police and fire departments, flight attendants, security guards or other rescuers who have been properly trained on their use.
PHOTO CAPTION: Trent Miller, senior vice president and service line leader, emergency and pre-hospital, Parkview Health, with Mike Feely, Fire Chief, Huntertown Fire Department.