By Sally Pyne
A young man’s life was saved at an area high school recently because people around him knew to find and use the Automatic External Defibrillator, or AED. Would you know what to do? MY life was saved by an AED located on an emergency vehicle just 15 years ago. My heart stopped after I collapsed while crossing College Avenue. At that time AED’s were not as easy to find. Do you know where your closest AED is—right now?
After my life was spared I assisted in a campaign in our community to get more AEDs placed. The family of the young basketball player launched a fundraiser to purchase more AEDs and WJBC joined in the effort to raise over $500. Much success was accomplished, but now some of those AEDs placed 15 years ago are in need of maintenance and checking to be sure they are functional. Illinois Heart and Lung Foundation is leading us in the effort.
Do the places you gather have this essential lifesaving device? Has your church, your school, your grocery store, your favorite restaurant purchased an AED? They are not cheap—but at what cost your friend, your child, your neighbor’s life?
Download the application “PulsePont AED” today on our phone. It will tell you where your closest AED is located at any given time and place. In fact, you can assist in the effort to get every AED registered in our community. When the Normal Public Library recently added an AED, I was able to add that one to the application—complete with picture! It’s easy to use and if it can save even one person stricken with a heart stoppage it’s worth it.
Dr. Sally Pyne is a retired educator who has lived in the Bloomington-Normal community all but 5 of her 50-plus years. She is married to Ed who is editor and publisher of the Normalite newspapers and they are parents of two grown daughters.
The opinions expressed within WJBC’s Forum are solely those of the Forum’s author, and are not necessarily those of WJBC or Cumulus Media, Inc.
