Lipscomb stays prepared with on-campus AEDs and Red Cross training
Chris Pepple |
Metro Nashville’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has joined forces with hundreds of national, state and local government agencies and private organizations this month for National Preparedness Month. This nationwide effort held every September focuses on encouraging citizens to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities. “Emergencies can and do happen anywhere making personal preparedness an invaluable tool to help citizens and their families respond to a disaster,” said Acting Director Stephen Halford.
Lipscomb University is already prepared to respond to cardiac medical emergencies with on-campus automatic external defibrillators (AEDs). These devices are designed to be used in life-threatening cardiac emergencies to increase chances of survival. These public access units can be used by trained professionals or unskilled bystanders during an emergency.
The unit comes with easy-to-follow instructions that prompt the operator to place two pads on the chest of the victim. The unit then automatically analyzes the patient’s condition. The unit’s electronic voice then verbally instructs the operator as to further steps which may be needed. The unit will not deliver a shock to the patient unless it is needed.
“We currently have six AEDs on campus and will soon purchase our seventh one,” states Kathy Hargis, Lipscomb University’s director of risk management. “These units are accessible to the public and are located in key areas such as in Ezell, in the lobby of Allen Arena, in Lipscomb’s Health Clinic and in the Campus Safety office. One will soon be placed in the Bennett Campus Center, Ward Auditorium and in the SAC. If they can save just one life, what a great benefit. My goal is that faculty, staff and students will feel comfortable using these units during an emergency situation. We have also registered our units so that 9-1-1- operators will know the location of our devices on campus and can direct callers to their locations.”
The units are portable and can be taken to the scene of an emergency. Campus Safety officers have one available so they can transport the device on medical emergency calls. “We have not had to use ours,” states Patrick Cameron, director of campus safety, “but the AED will be an invaluable tool if a person suffers from a cardiac emergency on our campus. It’s a wonderful resource to have for our faculty and staff, our students, and our campus visitors.”
Lipscomb’s Student Government Association also knows the value of being prepared in case of an emergency. The association is sponsoring a Red Cross training session on Saturday, September 15, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. with lunch provided. CPR, AED and first aid training will be available at a discounted rate. The training session is open to 35 students and 10 faculty and staff members. For more information and for registration for the day, contact Lipscomb’s SGA office.