November 19, 2008
Wethersfield --

The Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) and the Wethersfield Volunteer Firefighters Association (WVFA) have donated an automated external defibrillator (AED) to the Richard M. Keane Foundation’s 9/11 Memorial Sports Center at the Pitkin Community Center.

Martin Sitler of the WVFA said that the membership of the Association and the WVFD staff, led by Fire Chief Chuck Flynn, agreed that there was a need for this life-saving device when the fitness room and gymnasium opened in September this year. The membership of both organizations unanimously decided to pool their resources to purchase the equipment.

Many in the community have been concerned about public buildings needing AED's ever since a town resident collapsed and needed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at a Town Council meeting this year.

An AED is now considered essential to CPR: it converts ineffective heart beats that could otherwise cause illness. In most cases, AED provides effective heart rhythm to save lives.

People need minimal training to use an automated external defibrillator effectively. All AED's approved for use in the United States use an electronic voice to prompt users through each step. It automatically diagnoses the heart rhythm and determines if a shock is needed, and if so, it then instructs the rescuer how to follow through. No shock will be given if it is not needed.

The donated AED will be mounted in an area that will be accessible to all at the Community Center, not just for those who exercising in the Sports Center.

The donated device will serve the public’s safety well, says Judy Keane, President of the Richard M. Keane Foundation.

“We are very grateful for the generosity of the Wethersfield Fire Department and the Wethersfield Volunteer Firefighters Association”. Mrs. Keane continues, “We do have a risk for heart disease in the senior population at the Community Center; but, you never know when a young person has a congenital heart defect that can be aggravated by exercise, and will need emergency First Aid.”

Staff at the community center who already are trained in CPR will now be educated in the use of the AED. CPR classes incorporating the AED will be announced soon for the general public too.

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