Donors fund purchase of 18 new AEDs at Wilmington College

Wilmington College has engaged in a campuswide Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) installation project after securing 18 new AEDs that will replace older ones and expand the number of locations where the potentially lifesaving units are placed.

Sigrid Solomon, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, said the College “recognizes the important role” played by strategically placing AED units across the campus. “These life-saving devices serve as critical safety infrastructure, reducing response times and improving outcomes for individuals experiencing cardiac emergencies.”

The Clinton County Foundation awarded WC a $25,000 grant through the generosity of HealthFirst and the Bush Family Fund for Colleges to purchase 17 AEDs. This project aligns with the Clinton County Foundation’s HealthFirst for Clinton County program mission of promoting community health and safety. Also, the family of Kate Muchmore Earley donated an additional unit in her memory.

“There was a need identified and we were able to help meet the need,” said Jeff Drapalik with the HealthFirst initiative, while Mark Bush noted, “The College was always very important to Mom and Dad (George and Charlene Bush), and safety is a number-one priority.”

Earley was a firefighter and fire inspector in Wilmington for many years before moving to Columbus. Her family, parents Don and Nan Muchmore and sister Bekah Wall, a WC alumna and faculty member, said Earley loved to train others in CPR and remind persons to become certified in emergency resuscitation methods. “Using this story to spread the word would have made Kate happy,” Wall said.

Solomon added that the College is grateful to the Foundation, HeathFirst and the Bush and Muchmore families for recognizing the value of having these units easily accessible throughout the campus. In addition, the College’s Housing Office is purchasing special, temperature-controlled cabinets for two of the AEDs that will be placed at outside locations near WC’s two apartment-style residence halls.

Kelley Siders, WC’s director of Health Services, said each new AED unit also has complementary pediatric pads and the Lifeback anti-choking device in the cabinets. The College now features 30 AED units dispersed throughout the campus, with four additional portable units available to accompany the professional athletic training staff at athletic competitions and practices.

Siders will lead the offering of additional opportunities for students, faculty and staff to learn first-aid and other lifesaving measures. "CPR, coupled with AED use, dramatically increases cardiac emergency survival rates,” Siders said. “Offering this life-saving resource to Wilmington College students, faculty and staff through the generosity of others is wonderful, and I'm honored to have been part of this team."

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, with thousands of cases occurring annually. Quick access to defibrillators dramatically improves survival rates — by as much as 70 percent, according to Siders — by delivering a life-saving shock within minutes of cardiac arrest.

While the College has placed AEDs throughout campus facilities for more than 20 years, those initial areas selected were largely located where public gatherings were held. The College recognized a need for a more comprehensive installation of AEDs throughout the campus, including residence halls, academic buildings, Watson Library, the Academic Farm, etc. In addition to the purchase of the units, the College will actively provide training sessions for students, faculty and staff.
    
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