Spencerport area adds to defibrillator count

Every day sudden cardiac arrest claims another victim. Many of these deaths would have been prevented if an Automated External Defibrillator or AED was available. Thanks to a community grant from State Senator George Maziarz's office, the Spencerport area now has 18 state-of-the-art AED units.

In cardiac arrest the heart rhythm is thrown out of its normal pumping rhythm and is quivering and chaotic - like a large bowl of gelatin. The heart can't pump blood effectively and the only way to fix it is to electrically shock it. An AED stops and basically restarts the heart allowing everything to begin again - almost like rebooting a computer. An embedded computer chip inside the unit analyzes the rhythms of the patient's heart, instantly and accurately allowing someone trained in its use, even if they are non-medical, to administer this vital service.

The Spencerport Fire Department, Ogden Police Department, and Spencerport Volunteer Ambulance all had older units. By putting their units together, turning them in and buying in bulk, they were able to purchase a large quantity of new machines at a reduced price.

Currently the new AEDs are in place at the following locations: Spencerport Volunteer Ambulance, Spencerport Fire Department, Ogden Police Department, Ogden Farmers' Library, Ogden Recreation Center, Ogden Town Office, Spencerport Village Office, Spencerport Village Electric Department, Spencerport Highway Facility, and the Ogden Senior Center. Spencerport Central School purchased 11 units last year and these are placed throughout the school buildings. This brings to the community a total of 29 AEDs.

The Fire Department and Spencerport Volunteer Ambulance crew have all been trained by the American Red Cross in the use of the AEDs and are ready to respond to any emergency that may require them. The Ogden Police Department, Town of Ogden employees, and Village of Spencerport employees will be trained by the second week in August.

In addition to the new AEDs, Spencerport Volunteer Ambulance (SVA) also has two extremely advanced monitors; the Zoll M-Series. SVA is the first ambulance corps in Monroe County to own the Zoll M-Series. Mercy Flight Central, based in Canandaigua, is the only other agency that has this advanced equipment. Public health advocates are beginning to recommend defibrillators be on hand wherever crowds of people congregate, such as municipal buildings and schools. But these units are useless if no one knows what to do with them.

The Heartsaver AED course is designed to instruct participants in the lifesaving skills of CPR, the use of an AED, and how to administer relief of foreign body airway obstruction (choking). This course will be offered by Spencerport Ambulance at a reduced price of $35. Classes are open to the public but pre-registration is required. The dates are Monday, August 11 from 6 to 10 p.m., September 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., October 18, from 8 a.m. to noon and November 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 352-1717 or stop by the Spencerport Volunteer Ambulance building at 116 Lyell Avenue, Spencerport to register.

Note: More information is also available at www.spencerportambulance.org.