EMS provides AED training

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Delaware County EMS recently visited American Legion Post 457 in Sunbury and trained members on how to use the post’s new automated external defibrillator (AED).

The post reported it received the AED from the Delaware County Veterans Service Office to help it be better equipped to assist someone who is having a heart emergency.

In January, members of Delaware County EMS Unit 11 attended Post 457’s monthly meeting to demonstrate the correct use of the device.

“EMS Lt. Shelly Gannon and EMS Thomas Beglinger made sure each attendee felt comfortable with how the device works and answered all questions from the members,” the post reported in a release.

Post 457 Commander Glenn Daugherty said he’s thankful to have the device available in case of an emergency.

“Thanks to the Delaware County VSO for providing the AED, and we pray we will never need it,” Daugherty said.

Delaware County EMS Director Jeff Fishel said Monday that training and demonstrations for AEDs are one of the services EMS regularly provides.

“Any time someone asks for us to come out and do a demonstration on how to use their AED or equipment, we will come out and do that,” Fishel said. “(We are) able to do CPR training and classes, stop-the-bleed classes, and answer questions about our services. (We also) give demonstrations and tours of ambulances and equipment.”

Fishel said trainings like the CPR classes and AED demonstrations can literally save lives.

“If you are going to go in cardiac arrest, your chance of survival increases dramatically if you do it next to somebody who knows how to do CPR and if you do it where there’s an AED,” Fishel said. “Throughout the county whenever we have a cardiac arrest event and they walk out of the hospital neurologically intact, a lot of that is thanks to the bystanders who started CPR or maybe went and got an AED as well. It could be the matter of life and death.”

Fishel added he’s glad that AEDs are becoming more prevalent in the county, and Delaware County EMS is available to help give demonstrations to any organization or business that has one.

“With the amount of people we have in this county and the amount of AEDs I’m sure exist, we’d love to see the requests to learn how to better use it and for some training on it to increase,” he said. “However, we’re not always aware when someone purchases one and installs it. It’s incumbent on the organization or business to make us aware that they have purchased one and that they (want) training on it.”

Fishel said any parties interest in getting training or demonstrations from Delaware County EMS can contact the department at 740-833-2190.

Fishel said CPR training is a priority for Delaware County EMS, and they do trainings throughout the year. He added the trainings are not full certifications but are focused on proper compression.

“It’s one of the most important things you can do as a bystander is to provide good CPR and get an AED to a patient in cardiac arrest early,” Fishel said. “It really is a thing that can make a difference and save lives. For us, it’s very important to get that training out there. It can directly lead to better outcomes throughout the community.”

Fishel said EMS has already provided many CPR trainings this year and is planning to do one later this month for 109 students at Berkshire Middle School.

“We take every opportunity we can to teach people CPR,” Fishel said.

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