Community Heart Watch Installs AED at Perry County 911 Dispatch Center
LANCASTER, OHIO (Feb. 23, 2024) – Thanks to a recent donation from Community Heart Watch, the Perry County 911 Dispatch Center is now equipped with an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) that will be accessible to the public 24 hours a day in the event that a cardiac arrest emergency occurs nearby. The donation was made possible through a grant from the Robert E. Fellers and Leona L. Fellers Foundation Trust.
(L-R) Perry County Commissioner Ben Carpenter, 911 Dispatch Director/Coordinator Sherry Emmert, Perry County Health Department Emergency Planner Jim Mickey
The AED was presented to 911 Dispatch Director/Coordinator Sherry Emmert by Jim Mickey, Perry County Health Department Emergency Planner, and Ben Carpenter, president of the Perry County Board of Commissioners. The AED will be located just inside the entrance of the dispatch center, 121 W. Brown Street, New Lexington.
AED accessibility is a goal of Community Heart Watch and the key to improving survival from cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. Without quick intervention, brain damage begins in four minutes and death occurs around 10 minutes. With an average EMS response of eight minutes or more, a victim’s best chance of survival is if people at the scene start chest compressions immediately and use an AED while waiting for EMS to arrive.
Mickey, who is a member of Community Heart Watch for years, said the committee’s mission is to provide tools such as AEDs and CPR training to prepare citizens to take action if they witness a cardiac arrest. “My term for this is ‘Immediate Citizen Responders’,” he said. “The overall goal is for citizens to assist victims until EMS, fire and law enforcement can arrive with advanced capabilities to help deliver more viable patients to our medical facilities for definitive treatment and recovery. This will increase the chance of someone surviving a medical emergency such as sudden cardiac arrest and resuming their lives with family and friends within our communities.”
Carpenter said he is excited for Perry County to become more heart safe. “It is great to see the AED unit in place for emergency use,” he said. “This continues our opportunities for Perry County to partner with Community Heart Watch and get additional life-saving resources in our county.”
Emmert agreed. “The 911 Dispatch Center is always looking for more ways to serve our citizens in times of need,” she said. “The continuing placement of AEDs throughout Perry County can only help us to provide additional resources and prompt care for the victim when there is a medical emergency.”
About Community Heart Watch
Community Heart Watch is a collaboration of Fairfield Medical Center, first responders, educators and civic leaders dedicated to improving cardiac arrest survival in Fairfield, Hocking and Perry counties. It is focused on increasing awareness and early recognition of cardiac arrest, expanding access to AEDs in the community and training the general public to start chest compressions and use an AED while waiting for EMS.
