By T. Scott Boatright
Fire Chief Patrick Conley had some shockingly good news for the Grambling City Council during last week’s monthly meeting.
During that meeting Conley announced that the Grambling Fire Department plans to use a $100,000 grant which he said has already been approved and released by the state of Louisiana to buy Automated External Defibrillator, more commonly known as AED, units.
According to , an AED, or defibrillator, is an emergency life-saving device that can be used by anyone to help restart the heart when sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurs. The device is fully portable and gives the heart an electrical charge to establish a regular heartbeat. And AEDs have sensors that will allow it to only shock when necessary.
“I was walking around one day, and I noticed that we didn’t have any AEDs anywhere,” Conley said. “That’s why I wanted to put an invite out to anyone at our facilities to become medical responders. We will have an AED mounted at City Hall, the police department, fire department and public works. All in plain view.
“To be blunt, if someone falls out with a heart attack, and the fire department is out, who’s going to handle it? Well, someone in this room may have to handle it.”
And the fully-automated AED devices can make that happen.
“They actually talk you through the process,” Conley said. “Anyone in this room can use an AED to save a life way before an ambulance has a chance to get there.”
Conley also said the GFD are working in conjunction with the Grambling Police Department to hold medical responder classes in May, including conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification classes.
“(Certificants) have to renew CPR certification every two years anyway,” Conley said. “Any employee with the city of Grambling is welcome to come sit in and obtain your CPR certification, along with certification as a medical responder. The more training for city employees. the better.”