| First comprehensive effort of its kind in the nation for a
county of this size With the recent deaths of several high school
athletes from sudden cardiac arrest, the American Heart Association of Summit County,
Akron General Health System and numerous other community organizations and private donors
have made the commitment to provide new lifesaving technology, called automated external
defibrillators, or AEDs, in each of the 59 junior high and high schools in Summit County.
"Placing these life-saving devices in each and every junior high and high school is
the first comprehensive effort of its kind in the nation for a county our size," says
Terry Gordon, DO, cardiologist at Akron General Medical Center and president of the Summit
County American Heart Association board of trustees.
The Akron General Development Foundation, through its Community Health Initiatives
Fund, has committed to purchase AEDs for a majority of schools (32) at an approximate cost
of $2,800 per school, and to support cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED training
throughout Summit County. "Akron General has long been recognized for its commitment
to prevention and wellness in our community," says Akron General Health System
President Alan Bleyer. "We're now taking this commitment to the next level by making
our schools safer for students, teachers, parents and visitors."
Other organizations supporting this effort include: Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital,
the City of Akron, the Robert and Annamae Orr Family Foundation, Summit County Medical
Alliance Foundation, Kenneth L. Calhoun Charitable Trust, Tuscora Park Foundation,
Hasenstab Architects, Inc., A-1 Concrete Leveling, Inc., Barberton Citizens Hospital, Stow
City Schools and the Barberton Community Foundation.
"Doctor Gordon deserves the credit for this," says Mayor of Akron Don
Plusquellic. "He has dedicated himself to creating the idea and to seeing it through.
When he approached me with what he wanted to do several months ago, I was more than happy
to be able to tell him the City of Akron would contribute AEDs to some of our schools and
to city buildings."
Sudden cardiac arrest strikes nearly 250,000 Americans each year. Of those affected,
over 95% will die before reaching the emergency room. Cardiac arrest, usually resulting
from some form of underlying heart disease, is due to abnormal heart rhythms or
arrhythmias. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most common arrhythmia that causes
cardiac arrest. VF is a condition in which the heart’s electrical impulses suddenly
become chaotic, causing the heart’s pumping to abruptly stop. Death follows within
minutes. Defibrillation is the only treatment for VF. This technique of giving an
electrical shock can restore the heart’s normal rhythm if it’s done within
minutes of the arrest.
Traditionally, the ability to defibrillate was solely in the hands of emergency medical
personnel. They were trained to interpret arrhythmias and determine when a shock was
needed. Survival depended on the emergency medical services (EMS) system being contacted
and arriving quickly. Unfortunately, quick EMS response isn’t always possible. Even
the very best EMS systems experience delays.
New technology, called automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, has made it possible
for trained lay rescuers to deliver defibrillation to cardiac arrest victims. An AED is a
small, portable device used to administer an electric shock through the chest wall to the
heart. A built-in computer assesses the patient’s heart rhythm, judges whether
defibrillation is needed and then administers the shock. Audible and/or visual prompts
guide the user through the process. These shocks can convert ventricular fibrillation into
a normal heart rhythm.
Dr. Gordon has personally been involved in getting AEDs into the community –
mainly schools and businesses – over the past year. Dr. Gordon stresses the
importance of getting these lifesaving machines into key facilities. "Life and death
are at stake here," he emphasizes. "The use of an AED in the event of a sudden
cardiac arrest will significantly improve the victim’s chances of survival." He
adds that, along with funding the purchase of AEDs, AHA, Akron General and other community
organizations will also provide AED and CPR training to school staff and people in the
community.
For more information on this effort, contact the American Heart Association at
330-867-9987.
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