CITRUS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
CHALLENGE grantees
receive their
Automated Electronic Defibrillator
units
·
Floral City Masonic
Lodge #133 F&AM:
FROM
LEFT 3rd
Cliff McPhee,
Senior Deacon;
4thDavid
Thompson, Senior Warden;
5th
Richard
Bidwell Sr., Master of Lodge #133;
6th
Tom Poole, Junior Deacon;
10th
Alan Walls,
Chaplain;
11th
John Thrumston,
Junior Steward
CITRUS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
CHALLENGE grantees
receive their aed units
Representatives from the 10 organizations that won Automated
Electronic Defibrillator [AED] challenge grants from Citrus Memorial
Hospital [CMH] were awarded their AED units at a ceremony at the
hospital on August 12.
The awards
were made by Citrus Memorial Health Foundation Board of Directors
Chairperson Sandra Chadwick. The Foundation board authorized the
challenge grant and put $15,000 toward its implementation. Also
attending for the hospital were Dwight Bruining, COO; Jerry DeLoach,
Sr. VP – Operations; and Rebecca Martin, Marketing / PR Manager.
Representing CMH’s partners in the program were MaryBeth Nayfield,
Administrator, for the Citrus County Health Department, which
assisted in obtaining the AED units, and Capt. Brian Nigro of Nature
Coast EMS, who trained all the challenge grant recipients.
Grant recipients include:
·
First Presbyterian Church:
Rev. Craig Davies and Trip Mundy, Board of Deacons, 1st
Presbyterian Church
·
Seven Rivers
Presbyterian Church:
Tara Bryant, Director of Community Outreach; Carol Sleight-School
Nurse; Blair Commons, Director of Business
·
Floral City Masonic
Lodge #133 F&AM:
Cliff McPhee, Senior Deacon; Richard Bidwell Sr., Master of Lodge
#133; John Thrumston, Junior Steward; David Thompson, Senior Warden;
Tom Poole, Junior Deacon; Alan Walls, Chaplain, Manager
·
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church:
Ronald Hoch, VP of Congregational Council
·
Homosassa Lions
Foundation Inc.:
Joyce
Mitchell; Joan Higbea;
Bob
Mitchell; Al Becker
·
Arbor Lakes Property
Owners Association:
George Karres;
Gregory Schmukal
·
Riverhaven Village
Property Owners Association:
Nancy Mahoney
City of Inverness: Pati Smith
Scott
Roush and Chief Lee Alexander of Inverness Police Department, which
received two units, and Pati Smith, Director of Inverness Parks and
Recreation, which received one unit
Citrus County Department of
Community Support Services:
Larry
Mitchell, Senior Service Coordinator and Dolores DeLuca,
representing the Senior Centers, which received three units
Crystal River Police Department
Support Association:
Cpl. Brian Coleman, Treasurer; Crystal River Police Chief Jim
Farley and Assistant Chief Gordon Rowland. the Crystal River Police
Department received two units
Citrus Memorial Hospital, in
partnership with the Citrus County Health Department, announced its
Automated External Defibrillator [AED] Challenge Grant Program in
February, and successful applicants had until June to raise their
funds.
The AEDs are Medtronic Lifepak CR
Plus Defibrillators. Grantees have obtained certification in the
American Heart Association’s Heartsaver AED / CPR program as a
condition for award of the units, which are covered by Florida’s
Good Samaritan law when used as directed.
The defibrillators can help victims of sudden cardiac arrest, which
occurs when the heart's lower chambers suddenly develop a rapid,
irregular rhythm and cannot pump blood to the body. Within seconds,
the person will have no pulse and will be unconscious.
Defibrillation is the only treatment. Unfortunately, 95% of victims
die because they don’t have quick access to this easy-to-administer
lifesaving treatment. By improving access to AEDs, we can increase
the survival rate.
Cost has been a stumbling block for
many organizations wanting to obtain AEDs. Citrus Memorial Hospital
with the Citrus County Health Department obtained these units,
specifically designed for layperson use, for $2,000. Under the
challenge grant, applicants raised 50% of the cost, and Citrus
Memorial Hospital contributed 50%, to help place the units in our
Citrus County community where they can save lives.
Citrus Memorial Hospital is a proud 2003 Crystal sponsor of the
American Heart Association.
NOTE: .jpg
photos available of each presentation group. Call or email Rebecca
Martin at 344-6501 or rmartin@citrusmh.org |
