April 19, 2017 – Brattleboro, VT:  Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) recently donated a life-saving gift to the Brattleboro Outing Club.  An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a lightweight, portable device that delivers electric shocks through the chest to the heart.

Designed to stop irregular heart rhythms, the AED defibrillator is used for a person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. It’s a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. AEDs come with voice prompts that tell a rescuer what to do, even if she or he has no previous training.

Anyone can go into cardiac arrest, including young people. Portable AEDs are especially useful in remote areas where ambulance service could be delayed or not available. AEDs can cost between $1,000–$2,000 depending on the model and features.

BMH donates defibrillator

Photo: Brattleboro Racquet Sports Board Members and BMH President Steven R. Gordon pose with the AED defibrillator.  (Left to right: Susan Avery, Brattleboro Racquet Sports Board Member; Dan Ingold, Brattleboro Racquet Sports Board Member; Steven Gordon, BMH President & CEO; Moss Kahler, Brattleboro Racquet Sports Board Member; Phil Feidelseit, Brattleboro Racquet Sports President).

If you think you may have heart problems, reach out to BMH’s Center for Cardiovascular Health.