YARMOUTH – The Yarmouth Fire Department (YFD) reports that it has donated an automated external defibrillator (AED) to Cape & Islands Emergency Medical Services System (CIEMSS).
CIEMSS serves as the liaison organization between Cape Cod EMS providers, Cape Cod Healthcare hospitals and the Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services. CIEMSS provides coordinated quality assurance and improvement activities; assistance with regulatory compliance; and a variety of EMS-related education and training programs.
According to the Department, the idea to donate an AED arose when YFD Lt. Jim Roberts learned that the Cape & Islands EMS response car had an aging AED and there wasn’t funding in place to purchase a new one. He decided that was not acceptable and asked Yarmouth Fire Chief Phil Simonian if the Department could donate one.
Yarmouth was in possession of a newer, recently donated AED and was in the process of finding a worthy location for the donated device. Chief Simonian said, “The timing worked out perfectly. We had an extra unit that was not like the ones we use and CIEMSS had a need for this life-saving piece of equipment.”
An AED is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. If it’s not treated within minutes the heart will die; in fact, each minute of SCA leads to a 10 percent reduction in survival. Using an AED on a person who is having SCA may save the person’s life.
CIEMSS fund-raising campaign
The Yarmouth Fire Department notes that CIEMSS is in the process of raising funds to help construct a new training facility and main office building. If you wish to support those who care for you during your most difficult times, consider a tax-deductible donation to support the new Cape & Islands EMS System Training Facility. For more information, visit www.capeandislandsems.org/donations/
Or you can mail a donation to:
Cape & Islands EMS System Inc. • PO Box 1197 • Hyannis, MA. 02601
Media release provided by the Yarmouth Fire Department
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