By Carole Deck
Intelligencer Journal
Copyright 2008 Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.
LANCASTER, Pa. — For more than 12 years, Lancaster County police have been able to save lives using portable automated external defibrillators.
New Holland Police Department recently received eight new AED units from the New Holland Ambulance Association to replace three older nonfunctioning units.
Police are often the first on the scene, and time is essential to save a person who is in cardiac arrest, said Bill Clisham, treasurer of the ambulance association.
He said that the donation was two-fold - it helped the police by purchasing the AEDs for them, and it was a way to give back to the community for its support of the association.
Prudent investments over the years through memberships and other donations made it possible to purchase the AEDs, which carry a price tag of $1,200 plus $300 for the battery. Future maintenance and battery replacements, said Clisham, also will be covered by the association.
All of the 15 full- and part-time police officers have received certification in the use of the AED and will be recertified every two years. New Holland police Detective Jonathan Heisse said though uncomplicated to use, safety is a top priority.
We are very appreciative of the AEDs graciously donated by the ambulance association, Heisse said.
He said that in 1996, Dr. Leon Anderson, cardiologist and former medical director of the Lancaster Heart Association, started a program to place AEDs in police cars. New Holland received three of the portable AEDs funded by the heart association.
Anderson believed that police could respond quickly using the front line weapon of attack against cardiac arrest, said Heisse.
As the years passed, the older AED units became obsolete and expensive to maintain - their batteries cost $500. Heisse discussed the problem with Clisham in early April, and the association approved a donation of eight new AEDs to the police department and one to the borough office.
The police department responds to ambulance calls in the borough and Earl Township.
Clisham said the ambulance association has provided AEDs to various public places in the community, including Yoder’s Country Market, Shady Maple Smorgasbord and Eastern Lancaster County School District.
It plans to donate to other populated areas such as churches, New Holland Recreation Center, Garden Spot Village Retirement Community and others.
Donating AEDs to the community is an investment in saving lives ... and the association is pleased to provide ambulance service and funding, Clisham said.