Red Cross and National Guard Team up to Save Lives
11/11/2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 6, 2009—The American Red Cross and Indiana National Guard have teamed up to install a new automated external defibrillator (AED) at the Bloomington Armory. The donation of this new equipment was made possible through a local grant from the Services to Armed Forces program at American National Red Cross.

 

Don Creek, health & safety director at the Monroe County Chapter of the Red Cross, contacted Staff Sergeant Ryan Richmond, Battalion Medical Readiness NCO, last summer to inquire as to whether the Bloomington Armory needed an AED. Even with their own medical support and equipment available during military training, it turned out that they did, since the facility hosts more than 200 meetings and public events throughout the year. Placing the lifesaving equipment in the main hall would be a significant medical enhancement during times that medical staff is not present.

 

Statistics show that more than 200,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year. Up to 50,000 of these deaths could have been prevented if someone had initiated the Cardiac Chain of Survival, and an AED had been available for immediate use at the time of the emergency.

The American Red Cross has a vision of one person in every household being trained in CPR lifesaving skills, all Americans being within four minutes of an AED and someone trained to use that AED in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.

 

 “The men and women who serve our country in uniform deserve our thanks every single day, and if placing this AED in the armory saves the life of one of our nation’s heroes or a family member using the facility, we’re honored to do it,” said Sue Gulley, Executive Director. She added, “The American Red Cross serves and supports members of the military, veterans, and their families by providing emergency communications, comfort and assistance each day. The AED program continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces.”