Public Access AED

TRUCKEE, CA, APRIL 21, 2009:

Truckee Fire Protection District is proud to announce that they will soon be making available 2 AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) for public special events. Judge C. Anders Holmer recently voiced a concern to Chief Keller about the lack of AEDs at Pop Warner and other sporting/special events in the community. The Truckee Firefighters Charitable Fund and the Truckee Fire Protection District have purchased 2 AEDs to be used by the public. We are currently designing an orientation meeting for those people that are interested in learning how they work.

The Truckee Firefighters Charitable Fund and the Truckee Fire Protection District are hoping that more AEDs both, portable or fixed, will be added to the community. We jointly look forward to working in a collaborative fashion with other entities, both public and private. For more information contact Chief Botto, 530-582-7850.

According to the American Heart Association AEDs are computerized devices that are now about the size of a laptop computer. They can be used by healthcare providers (such as Emergency Medical Response providers) and by lay rescuers. They are attached to victims, who are thought to be in cardiac arrest, and they provide voice and visual prompts to lead rescuers through the steps of operation. AEDs analyze the victim's heart rhythm, determine if a defibrillation shock is needed, then prompt the rescuer to "clear" the victim and deliver a shock.

Studies have repeatedly shown the importance of immediate bystander CPR plus defibrillation within 3–5 minutes of collapse to improve survival from sudden VF cardiac arrest. In cities such as Seattle, Washington, where CPR training is widespread and EMS response and time to defibrillation is short, the survival rate for witnessed VF cardiac arrest is about 30 percent. In cities such as New York City, where few victims receive bystander CPR and time to EMS response and defibrillation is longer, survival from sudden VF cardiac arrest averages 1–2 percent.

Truckee Fire Protection District also offers American Heart CPR classes here in our community. The class is taught every second Wednesday of the month at our Gateway Station, 11473 Donner Pass Road (just east of the high school), at 5:30 pm. If you are interested in signing up for a CPR class call the Truckee Fire Administration office, (530) 582-7850 or drop by the office at 10049 Donner Pass Road in Downtown Truckee to sign up for a specific class. The fee for the class is $30 and includes an instructional book, pocket mask key chain, and a CPR certification card that is good for 2 years. These classes are designed for the health care professional, as well as the layperson. They are a low-pressure class with a high success rate.

Our instructors would like to remind you that new CPR standards were put into effect in 2006. These standards have simplified the process of performing CPR, making it easier to remember the proper breath and compression rates for all ages and sizes of victims. To quote one of our instructors “If there is one person in this world you love, you should take this class.” Classroom instruction and skills testing takes about 4 hours to complete.

Truckee Fire Protecton District

10049 Donner Pass Road

Truckee, CA 96161

www.truckeefire.org