King's Daughters donates 25 AEDs to first responders, schools
On Friday, King’s Daughters Health System and King’s Daughters Health Foundation presented 25 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to 14 community agencies throughout its service area.
AEDs are medical devices that can deliver an electrical shock to an individual suffering from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a condition that affects more than 350,000 Americans each year. Only about 10 percent of people who experience an SCA outside of a hospital setting survive.
Agencies receiving AEDs included:
- Ashland Police Department
- Ashland-Boyd County Emergency Management
- Boyd County Sheriff’s Department
- Carter County Sheriff’s Department
- Floyd County Sheriff’s Department
- Greenup County Sheriff’s Department
- Ironton Police Department
- Portsmouth Police Department
- Westwood Fire Department
- Wurtland Volunteer Fire District
- Ashland Independent Schools
- Boyd County Schools
- Greenup County Schools
- Safe Harbor
King’s Daughters AED donation was made possible through the generosity of King’s Daughters team members, who purchased special Heart Month T-shirts, water bottles, and grocery tote bags in January and February. More than $21,000 was raised through the sales.
“Our team members are among the most generous and enthusiastic people to be found anywhere,” said Scott Hill, executive director of community engagement for King’s Daughters. “When we announced proceeds from the T-shirt sale would be used to buy AEDs for the community, our team members were incredibly supportive,” he said.
King’s Daughters purchasing department was able to negotiate a great price for the Philips HeartStart defibrillator kits, which normally sell for $2,000 each. The kits include the defibrillator, two batteries, adult and pediatric pads, and a case.
King’s Daughters Health Foundation oversaw the application and donation process. “We were thrilled to sponsor and facilitate this project,” said Foundation President Kim McCann. “Projects like this one, along with our support of King’s Daughters mobile health units, scholarships for high school students, and the oncology center of excellence are just a few of the ways the Foundation makes a difference in the community,” she said.
Photo: King's Daughters team members along with recipients of the AEDs.
