News and Information for the community served by Huron Valley Ambulance 

News and Information
HURON VALLEY AMBULANCE

September 15, 2003
A Nonprofit Community Service
Area fire depts. secure AEDs through HVA grant program

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HVA has approved grants for a total of 55 AEDs in their service area.
Ypsilanti Township Fire Chief Tom Yurkunas is sold on the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to save lives. In fact, in 1988, his department saved the first life with an AED in Washtenaw County, that of a 60 year old man who had a cardiac arrest while shoveling snow. "The AED gave him 15 more years of life," states Yurkunas, who recently saw the man they had saved.

So, when Huron Valley Ambulance launched an AED grant program for police and fire departments, Yurkunas was thrilled. "Because of this program, I was able to replace our four older units and buy two more." After the department put five of the AEDs on fire vehicles, they donated the sixth to the Ypsilanti Township Civic Center. AED training is currently being done at the Center in anticipation of receiving the unit.

Also taking advantage of the offer, the Superior Township Fire Department purchased two AEDs to give them a total of four, and the Augusta Township Fire Department purchased one AED.

In the latest complete Washtenaw County data from 2001, only 10% of patients survived sudden cardiac arrest, a condition where the heart beats so erratically that it can’t sustain life. The best intervention is defibrillation with an AED as soon as possible to return the heart to a normal rhythm. The National Center for Early Defibrillation suggests that 20% is a more reasonable survival target for most communities. In April 2003, in an effort to reach that goal, HVA launched a two-year AED grant program for area fire and police departments.

Although all fire departments in HVA’s service area have had AEDs since the early ’90s, they can apply for the grants to replace aging equipment. Under the grant program, HVA provides up to $1000 for each AED. They have also negotiated a group purchase price of $2000 per AED and will offer AED training at no cost to grant recipients.

HVA’s support for AEDs is the latest in a series of steps to create a "Heart-Safe" community. In 2001, HVA put state of the art 12-lead electrocardiograms in all its vehicles, allowing paramedics to diagnose heart attacks in the field. The paramedics then notify emergency departments to activate their cardiac treatment teams, who are ready for the patient on arrival. In 2002, HVA donated 17 AEDs to "at-risk" public locations and began providing chest pain awareness education.

For more information or to receive a grant application, call (734) 477-6298.