Littleton Fire Rescue has installed technology around town to
help save lives after cardiac arrest.
Automated External Defibrillators are now available for public
use in the Littleton City Center, Bemis Public Library, Littleton
Historical Museum and Littleton Municipal Court House.
“A misnomer out there is you see people giving CPR and getting
saved, and that’s not accurate,” said Richard Greer, a Littleton
firefighter coordinating training of the new devices. He said
cardiopulmonary resuscitation is what keeps people alive until
paramedics arrive, but the new defibrillators are what can save the
day.
“Brain death starts to occur in just four to six minutes after
someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest,” a press release from
the fire department said. “This near-death state is reversible in
most victims if the condition is treated within a few minutes with
CPR and an electric shock from an AED to restore a normal
heartbeat.”
Use of the new defibrillators across the country have led to an
almost 25 percent increased survival rate in adults with sudden,
noticed cardiac arrest, the release said.
In 2006, 335,000 people nationwide died outside of the hospital
of cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association states that with
people trained and the new defibrillators in high-occupancy places,
40,000 lives can be saved annually.
However, training is necessary to reach this statistic, a
service Littleton Fire Rescue has already offered to 80 percent of
Littleton city staff, and is willing to offer to any groups in the
fire rescue’s coverage area.
Greer said the system is easy enough to use without training
with voice prompts. However, training allows people to become
comfortable with using the machine.
“The reason we do the training classes is because people can get
into a situation where they have adrenaline going and won’t be able
to take a deep breath and follow the directions,” Greer
said.
The defibrillators are used by placing pads on a person’s chest,
which analyze the heart’s activity and provide shocks if
necessary.
Training also is available to the public.
Classes are $25 per person and includes certification of
training for the Automated External Defibrillator use and CPR, and
a book. Classes can be taught at any location within the fire
department’s coverage area, which includes Littleton proper and
Highlands Ranch. Littleton Fire requests 10 people sign up for each
class.
The fire department responses can be less than one minute or it
can be up to four minutes, Greer said. “The point of having the AED
is those first few minutes are critical.”
To arrange a class or for more information, contact Richard
Greer at 303-795-3800.
303-566-4110 | pingram@ccnewspapers.com