So have you had a heart attack lately? Hopefully your answer is no, and just because February is heart month, that is no reason to have one.
But if you happen to have a heart attack any time soon, Rock County is a pretty good place to have one.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of suffering from a heart attack, your chance of surviving such an event is largely affected by how fast you get the medical attention you need.
A vital piece of equipment that is used to restart the heart is something called an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and the sooner it’s used, the better.
Our local ambulances, sheriff’s department vehicles and fire department have AEDs with them. In addition to those, there are nearly 50 such devices placed throughout Rock County.
You can find them in public gathering places such as the library, schools, city hall, the courthouse, ice arena, churches, grocery stores, funeral homes and bars and restaurants.
So if your ticker decides to take a break and time matters, chances are you might be close to one of those AEDs.
Those AEDs are only as good as the batteries and pads that are part of the machine.
The batteries and pads need to be serviced every 12 months or so, and that runs about $175 per machine per year.
You can help keep those AEDs in tiptop working order by “adopting an AED.”
Contact Emily Crabtree at the Luverne Area Community Foundation office at 507-220-2424.
Better yet, you can adopt online by going to luverne.fcsuite.com/erp/donate.
Don’t be shy. If you want to adopt more than one, by all means do so.
Still on the fence about adopting? Consider this. By adopting an AED, you can save a life – your loved one, your neighbor or a co-worker – or maybe yours!
The adoption hotline is now open. Give Emily a call.