Southwestern College Collegian

Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: Ashley Holloway Amanda Beadle, director of athletic training, and Greg Jeffers, athletic training sophomore, hold the Automatic External Defibrillator. The AED was donated to the athletic training department by Jeffers' father, Ron Jeffers, who is a QuikTrip executive.

Striking 250,000 people a year, cardiac arrest is the No.1 cause of death in America. Every minute a victim's heart is stopped, their chance for survival decreases by 10 percent according to The American Heart Association.

Amanda Beadle, head athletic trainer said, "Once someone's heart stops there is a 10 minute window to revive them. Having an Automated External Defibrillator will allow us to respond more efficiently in case someone does collapse."

The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) increases survival rate of a vascular fibrillation victim by 40 percent, according to The American Heart Association. AEDs are portable resuscitators.

Vascular fibrillation is when the heart cannot pump blood and stops. This is when an AED is needed. In order to revive the heart, an electric shock is required. AEDs provide this shock through two pads. It is fool proof. If it detects a heart beat it won't shock the victim. Kansas law states only CPR-trained individuals can use AEDs.

A simple step-by-step instruction is voiced through the speakers of the AED when turned on. Anyone trained in CPR can easily use one if one of the trainers are not present, Beadle said.

Mike Kirkland, athletics director said, "It's a valuable piece of equipment which was lacking in our athletic department. It was well worth the money even if we never use it."

The machine cost about $900 and was purchased through a grant from QuikTrip convenience store. Ron Jeffers, who is the father of Greg Jeffers, athletic training sophomore, works for QuikTrip and informed Beadle about the grant.

Along with the grant, the school got a great deal from the National Athletic Training Association. Typically an AED costs from $1,500 to $2,000.

Continued...

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