CHI - St. Joseph's Health - MN

W hen a person stops breathing and is unresponsive, a likely cause is sudden cardiac arrest, during which the heart's electrical system fails, and the heart stops pumping blood. "CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and use of an AED, which is an automated external defibrillator—a device that delivers an electrical shock to the chest—can restore heart rhythm during cardiac arrest," says Sonja Day, CHI St. Joseph's Health Foundation Manager and local CHI project coordinator for the AED grant collaborative. "Both are relatively easy to perform for people with limited or no medical background." WHERE IT COUNTS While CPR requires no equipment, AED devices are expensive to obtain and maintain. A $595,920 federal Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant is helping 12 Catholic Health Initiative (CHI) hospitals, including CHI St. Joseph's Health, place and support 220 lifesaving AEDs throughout rural Minnesota and North Dakota. The grant is also providing nationally certified training to as many as 675 first responders and volunteers. Equipped for Cardiac Arrest Imagine you're grocery shopping when you see someone collapse. You rush over to discover the person is not breathing and has no pulse. What should you do? CHI St. Joseph's Health is a partner of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) regional collaborative to receive a federal grant assuring the placement of 14 AEDs locally. Each recipient organization is required to send three staff members to training. Pictured from left are: Hugo's Family Grocery employees Linda Flategraff and Cindy Zeney, and Cathy Ensign, American Red Cross AED Trainer. MINUTES COUNT "Every minute without treatment reduces a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival by 10 percent," says Ben Koppelman, President, CHI St. Joseph's Health. "Our AED grant program goal is to improve survival chances for those who need immediate help." Through the grant, CHI St. Joseph's Health has placed 14 AEDs throughout the community, including: Bethany Lutheran Church, 100 3rd Ave., Nevis Blueberry Pines Golf Club, 39161 U.S. Hwy. 71, Menahga Citizens National Bank, 300 1st St. W., Park Rapids Hubbard County Public Works, 101 Crocus Hill St., Park Rapids Hubbard County Social Services, 301 Court Ave., Park Rapids Hubbard County Transfer Station North, Hwy. 71, Laporte Hubbard County Transfer Station South, 812 Henrietta Ave. S., Park Rapids Hugo's Family Marketplace, 101 4th St. E., Park Rapids Park Rapids Century School (three AEDs), 501 Helten Ave., Park Rapids Park Rapids Area High School (three AEDs), 401 Huntsinger Ave., Park Rapids Knowing the location of a device could save a life. Look for "AED on Site" signs in public areas. Provided to CHI St. Joseph's Health through the Health Resources and Services Administration's Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program. Provided to CHI St. Joseph's Health through the Health Resources and Services Administration's Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program. Provided to CHI St. Joseph's Health through the Health Resources and Services Administration's Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program. www.SJAHS.org | CHI St. Joseph's Health 3

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