By Maddie Seiler
The Sentinel
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Alan Wirt knew what to do.
When the 911 dispatch came in for a sudden cardiac arrest in Upper Allen Township around 4:35 Monday afternoon, the Cardiac Arrest Rapid Engagement volunteer sprang into action.
Within minutes, Wirt arrived at the scene equipped with an Avive AED and administered a shock to the victim, saving the man’s life.
His actions marked the first save of Cumberland County’s 4-Minute City Program.
Fully deployed in January, the initiative stationed nearly 300 Avive AEDs around the county to allow access within four minutes at the scene of a cardiac arrest before first responders arrive.
Cumberland County is one of four places in the nation to implement the program.
“I am so honored to be part of the 4-Minute City program because of its potential to empower ordinary citizens like me to save lives,” Wirt said.
The 4-Minute City initiative is spearheaded by the Emergency Health Services Federation, Cumberland County Department of Public Safety and the Peyton Walker Foundation.
Based in Camp Hill, the foundation is dedicated to increasing both awareness and survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest and is named after Peyton Walker, who died of sudden cardiac arrest in 2013.
Julie Walker, foundation president and Peyton’s mom said Monday’s save was “years in the making.”
“We’ve worked with an army of partners to bring this program to life with the hopes of creating a lasting legacy that will continue to save lives,” she said. “Having lost a loved one to sudden cardiac arrest, I know the devastation that’s left behind. Knowing that our work can spare families from having to live with loss makes our work worthwhile.”
(c)2024 The Sentinel (Carlisle, Pa.)
Visit The Sentinel (Carlisle, Pa.) at www.cumberlink.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
