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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mayor James R. Miron, 203.385.4001
Stratford First in State to Implement AED Ordinance
Mayor’s AED Initiative Gives Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims a Fighting Chance
Stratford, Conn. (March 17, 2009) – The Stratford community’s chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest are now better as Mayor James R. Miron today unveiled the Town’s first Automated External Defibrillators (AED) at Stratford Town Hall.
Stratford’s Town Council passed the Mayor’s ordinance in October 2008, which requires Automated External Defibrillators (AED) be located on site at certain types of establishments, including specific sized restaurants, health clubs, stores, municipal buildings and hotels. AEDs will also be installed in all Town buildings and schools. This is the first such ordinance of its kind in the state of Connecticut. All establishments required to comply have received a letter outlining the requirements of the ordinance as it pertains to their particular business establishment.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) claims the lives of 365,000 people each year in North America alone. With proper treatment, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation, 40,000 lives could be saved according to the American Heart Association.
“The passage of my AED ordinance provides a cardiac safety net for our residents and visitors,” said Mayor Miron. “With every passing minute before defibrillation is administered, survival rates from SCA decrease by about 7-10 percent. Although not everyone can be saved from sudden cardiac arrest, the sooner the defibrillation can be administered, the better the person’s chances of survival.”
Mayor Miron was joined at the unveiling of the first AED installation in a municipal building at Stratford Town Hall by Becky Simon, a seventh grader at Wooster Middle School who helped raise $1,000 in support of the initiative. After reading an article in the newspaper about the Mayor’s initiative three years ago, Becky visited the Mayor at one of his open door meetings and pledged her support for the Mayor’s plan, as AED lifesaving technology has special meaning for Becky and her family. With the help of friends and family, Becky helped raise money by making and selling “Becky’s Bookmarks” for a $1 each.
The AED is a device that allows ordinary citizens to provide treatment to those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest. These portable life-saving devices are about the size of a laptop and can be placed in police cars, office building, sports venues, hotels, and anywhere else people work, travel and play. A four-hour CPR and AED training session is recommended for those who may use the device.
Unlike the models of manual defibrillators used by health care professionals, most AEDs do not require extensive medical knowledge to understand or operate. The expertise needed to analyze the heart’s electrical function is programmed into the device and read when the pads are placed on the person’s chest. This allows a layperson to respond to cardiac emergencies, providing lifesaving “jump start” while waiting for emergency responders to get to the scene.
Stratford will be following the FDA’s guidelines for those AEDs in its municipal buildings of having people on staff who are trained and certified in using the AED.
For more information on sudden cardiac arrest or automated external defibrillators, visit www.aedhelp.com. For more information about Stratford’s ordinance, contact the Stratford Fire Marshal’s Office 203.385.4073.
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