City of Kent to get six defibrillators to help save lives

The Kent Emergency Management Division, part of the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority, has been awarded a $10,600 grant through King County Emergency Medical Services to help purchase six automatic external defibrillators (AEDs).

The grant will allow the city to receive public accessible AEDs and CPR training materials through King County, according to a Puget Sound Fire press release. AEDs can deliver a life-saving shock to the heart when used on a patient in cardiac arrest.

Five defibrillators, along with extra batteries and the patches that attach the AED to a patient, will be purchased for police vehicles. Police officers can be the first to respond to and arrive at a scene where an AED is needed. Kent Police have a solid record of saving people in cardiac arrest by using their AEDs.

One AED that will be purchased through the grant will be used by city staff at Lake Meridian during the summer months and by the Kent School District’s athletic department the rest of the year. Until now, one of the two AEDs located at the Kent Commons recreational facility has had to be relocated to the lake during the summer. With this grant, there will be two AEDs at the Commons at all times.

The importance of having an AED available at Lake Meridian was shown last summer when lifeguards used one on a teenager who was in cardiac arrest after being underwater for almost 10 minutes. The teen survived due to the quick work of the lifeguards and the use of the AED to shock his heart.

The remainder of the grant will be used to purchase mannequins and other CPR teaching supplies. The public can contact their local fire department to learn more about taking a CPR/First Aid class.

This grant was made possible through a cooperative effort from the city of Kent, Kent Police Department, Kent Parks Department, Kent Emergency Management Division, Puget Sound Fire and the Kent School District.