Hospitals gift TOH with lifesaving defibrillators

Saint Francis Hospital and Mercy Medical Center have donated 50 automated external defibrillators [AED] to the Town of Hempstead for use at town parks, beaches, pools and senior centers. At a morning press conference, held at Shell Creek Park in Island Park, Supervisor Anthony Santino said town personnel would receive specialized training on the proper use of the defibrillators. Each comes with step-by-step instructions in English and Spanish, so in the event of an extreme emergency anyone can quickly learn how to help someone in cardiac arrest. The units were donated by Cardiac Science, an Australian company.

Santino, with the help of the town’s Medical Director, Dr. Dave Neubert, demonstrated how the units work. “According to the American Heart Association, there are more than 350,000 reported cardiac arrest cases per year in the U.S. and only 10 percent survive, but that number doubles with Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation,” Santino said. The presentation was made with members of the Island Park Little League present. Santino explained that while young people should be in the peak of health they could be susceptible to blunt force trauma chest injuries. “A Little Leaguer went into cardiac arrest on Sept. 27, 2009,” he said, “While a defibrillator may not have helped in that instance, the baseball player’s parents have become advocates for placing defibrillators at youth athletic facilities.”

Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito said he had been contacted by members of the Island Park Little League about additional AED’s for town parks. D’Esposito, who hails from Island Park, said he was glad a new AED would be placed in Shell Creek Park, a park he grew up in. “As someone who has served as Chief of the Island Park Fire Department, and as a New York City detective I have seen many times, first hand, how an AED can truly change the outcome of a devastating event, D’Esposito said.”

Dr. Nuebert said 53 units have already been deployed in the town, and now 50 more will be available in an emergency.

Island Park Little League President Jack Vobis called Shell Creek the second most important asset for Little League, the children being the first. One of those assets is his daughter Jessica Vobis. When asked about the importance of the defibrillators she said, “It’s important because it’s reassuring. Because if someone is not ok and they are unconscious you have something that can help you so nothing really bad happens. I got hurt once,” she added, “right in the chest.”

Island Park Little League Coach John Egan said, “You just need to look at it once, and follow the instructions, turn it on and it tells you step by step so hopefully it's a save.”