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Getting a jump-start
on the school year: DV first to train in AED use
By KRISTA GROMALSKI
MILFORD - Delaware
Valley (DV) School District is the first in Pike County, and much
of the surrounding area, to train employees in the use of Automated
External Defibrillators (AED's).
What is
an AED?
According to
the American Red Cross it is a device used to treat the potentially
fatal heart rhythms that occur during cardiac arrest. The unit contains
a computer that interprets the heart rhythm, determines if a shock
is appropriate and tells the operator exactly what to do.
"The [AED]
units are easy to use," said Eileen Talalas, director of Health
and Safety Services at the Wayne Pike Chapter. A lay responder to
a cardiac emergency cannot over shock a victim, Talalas said.
This month
a core group of Delaware Valley School District employees are completing
Red Cross AED workplace training and will serve as responders. The
district will introduce AED units into the school this fall.
The core team
will include one secretary, administrator, school nurse or health
room assistant and physical education person from each of seven
locations within the district, according to Joe Kusner, pool manager
and natatorium supervisor at DV High School. Kusner is also a Red
Cross certified instructor in AED training and will teach AED usage
to lifeguards and water safety instructors at the DV pool.
The DV district
currently owns seven AED units and will place one in the nurses'
offices of the High School, Middle and Elementary complexes in Milford;
the Middle, Primary and Elementary School Complexes in Dingman's
Ferry; and the Shohola Elementary School, Kusner said.
AED units were
included under Pennsylvania's Good Samaritan legislature in December
of 1998. Wayne-Pike has four AED units available for training, donated
by Davis R. Chant Realtors and LA Bank.
Workplaces
or individuals interested in AED training should call Talalas at
570/253-2310.
The shocking
truth
According to
the American Red Cross:
Individuals
who are defibrillated within four minutes of developing cardiac
arrest have a 30 percent survival rate.
If defibrillation
is delayed to 10 minutes, the survival rate falls to two percent.
An AED delivers
approximately 3000 volts for about 1/1,000 of a second, the equivalent
of lighting a 100W light bulb for 2 to 3 seconds.
Peloquin
wins Sienna scholarship
NARROWSBURG
- Jennifer Peloquin is one of six new recipients of the Gene and
Mary Sarazen Scholarship announced by Siena College's admissions
office. Each recipient will receive $3,500 per year.
The Sarazen
Scholarship is awarded each year to Siena students reflecting the
high personal, athletic and intellectual ideals of the late Gene
Sarazen-winner of 38 PGA Tour titles, and the first professional
golfer to achieve the Grand Slam.
Peloquin expertly
balanced academics and extra-curricular activities while attending
Narrowsburg Central High School. In addition to serving as class
Vice President for the class of 2000, she participated in the Yearbook,
Drama, Varsity Basketball, Softball and Soccer. Peloquin works outside
of school as a tour guide at Fort Delaware. She also enjoys volunteer
work in her school and community and plans to continue some of these
interests at Siena this year. As a Siena Presidential Scholar, Peloquin
will major in Biology this fall.
A taste
of college for 4-H
LIBERTY - Every
year Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County 4-H gets the
opportunity to send 4-Hers to Cornell University for three days
of college life and career exploration through June Events, a career
exploration program. This year the 4-Hers who attended the trip
were Devin O'Malley of Liberty, Daniel Schneider of Swan Lake and
two-year attendee Cary Klem of Hankins.
The students
are divided into workshops which are tailored by areas of study.
4-Hers who attend June Events for the first time participate in
a program called University U. Second-year participants have the
availability to choose a specific area of study to explore. This
year's participant chose Food Science and DNA Fingerprinting and
Detection.
For more information
call 845/292-4641.
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