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Home > News
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| Wednesday, November 11, 2009
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Contact: Debra Thompson
Director, RMH Corporate Communications
540-564-5886
Alec Steinmetz of Cardiac Science
demonstrates how to use an AED at a Nov.
10 presentation ceremony at which the RMH
Heart and Vascular Center donated and
distributed three of the devices to local
organizations. RMH donated seven additional
devices to schools and community
organizations in May.
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RMH Heart and Vascular Services has donated three additional lifesaving AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators)—devices used to restart the heart in the event of cardiac arrest—to community locations, bringing the total number of donated AEDs this year to ten.
AEDs are used in conjunction with CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to help restore a heartbeat in someone who has suffered cardiac arrest. The devices allow individuals immediately to administer lifesaving treatment, which is particularly important in sudden cardiac arrest.
“In the event of cardiac failure, time is of the essence in order to save the heart muscle,” said Dave Grembi, RMH Heart & Vascular Center director. “Placing AEDs in our community will save lives. The mission of RMH is to improve the health of our community. I am delighted that our Heart & Vascular Center has evolved to be able to offer this level of collaborative effort and partnership.”
RMH was the first hospital in Virginia, and second in the nation, to donate AEDs as part of the HeartSafe program, a collaboration between medical vendors St. Jude Medical, maker of medical technology including IEDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators), and Cardiac Science, a global leader in AED technologies, Grembi said. The HeartSafe program works with hospitals to place AEDs in communities and facilitate community education on sudden cardiac arrest.
In a Nov. 10 ceremony at RMH, the AEDs were presented to Rockingham County Circuit Court, Camp Brethren Woods and the Turner Ashby High School Athletic Program.
Chaz Evans-Haywood, clerk of Rockingham County Circuit Court, said he advocated to have a device placed in the courthouse to help ensure downtown coverage and also to offer lifesaving care for those in high-stress situations.
“We have so many stressors at the courthouse—divorce, probation of wills,” he said. “We know those stressors can lead to people needing this. This donation allows us to provide a saving grace to everyone we serve in the courthouse and to those downtown.”
Doug Phillips, director of Brethren Woods Camp and Retreat Center, said the gift came at just the right time for his organization.
“We assessed our need for an AED last spring, but we also assessed our funds and we just couldn’t do it,” he said. “We are 20 minutes from a rescue squad, and we have a variety of age groups that come in and use our facility. We’re in a critical location. This is an amazing gift to our organization. We’re so thankful for RMH’s community partnership.”
Jon Woodrum, athletic director for Turner Ashby High School, said his organization has made it a top priority to outfit key areas in its 52-acre campus, and has added several AEDs already.
“This device will be placed in our athletic fields,” he said. “We don’t want to take a chance. We’re trying to cover every possible angle. In the event someone needs one, it’s not a waste.”
Personnel from the receiving facilities received training in using the devices after the presentation ceremony.
RMH donated the first seven AEDs to schools and community centers earlier this year.
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