Mercy Medical Center Donates 50 Defibrillators to Town of Hempstead

The Town of Hempstead has received a donation of 50 automated external defibrillators (AEDS), which will be placed at town parks, pools, beaches and senior centers in the coming weeks.

The defibrillators were donated to the town by St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn and Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre. They were secured through a state contract by St. Francis Hospital and Mercy Medical Center, so there was no cost to the town.

“Defibrillators are often utilized by police, fire and other emergency personnel due to their proven ability to save lives,” stated Town Supervisor Anthony Santino. “The Town of Hempstead commends St. Francis Hospital and Mercy Medical Center for partnering with us to provide this lifesaving equipment for town parks, beaches, pools and senior centers.”

“As a member of the Island Park Fire Department and a former New York City police officer, I have witnessed firsthand the effectiveness of defibrillators in emergency situations,” added Councilman Anthony D’Esposito.

Town personnel will receive specialized training on the proper use of the defibrillators. However, the devices also come with step-by-step instructions, so in the event of an extreme emergency, anyone can quickly learn the steps to help someone in cardiac arrest. What’s more, the devices – produced by Cardiac Science Corporation – include bilingual (Spanish/English) instructions, making them accessible to a broad population across the town. Earlier this year, town employees were able to save the life of a fellow coworker by performing CPR and using a defibrillator located nearby.

According to the American Heart Association, there are more than 350,000 reported cardiac arrest cases per year in the United States, and only 10 percent of those victims survive. In instances where a victim is immediately administered CPR and defibrillation, their chances of survival are doubled. What’s more, for every minute that a victim is in cardiac arrest without help, their survival odds are decreased by 10 percent.

“As an integral part of the community for more than a century, Mercy is highly committed to promoting the health and safety of local residents,” said Ron Steimel, Mercy’s executive vice president and CAO. “We are honored to help in providing this lifesaving equipment.”

Photo: Town of Hempstead.