116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
St. Luke’s distributes life-saving gear to rescuers, nonprofits
Foundation donates 56 defibrillators and 92 trauma kits in 3-county region
CEDAR RAPIDS — Dozens of automated external defibrillators and trauma first aid kits — valued at over $100,000 — will go to first-responders, ambulance crews, churches and nonprofit organizations in Benton, Jones and Linn counties, UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids announced Monday.
Last fall, UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital asked organizations to apply to receive an AED or “Stop the Bleed” trauma kit in an effort to distribute the lifesaving equipment more broadly in the community. Monday, the program — through the St. Luke’s Foundation — announced the recipients of 56 AEDs and 92 trauma kits, or both, and training in how to use them.
The 92 recipients overall included the Anamosa Fire Department, Camp Courageous, NewBo City Market, Matthew 25, Prospect Meadows, Springville Fire Rescue and the Monticello Police Department.
Citing U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures, the hospital said most people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest do so away from a hospital. Of those, up to 90 percent die before reaching an emergency rooms. But nine out of 10 victims who receive a shock from an AED within the first minute live.
Stop the Bleed is a national campaign to educate and prepare bystanders to address a bleeding emergency before first responders arrive.
“Healthcare workers dedicate themselves to saving lives and this was another way we could give back to our community in a way that would make a meaningful impact,” said a statement from Mary Klinger, the St. Luke’s Foundation president.
Barb Hanneman, BSN and lead CPR instructor at UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids (center) on Monday teaches the proper hand position for chest compressions to Karol Shepherd (left) as Shepherd and Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival co-worker Marnie Schultz practice CPR and the use of an external automated defibrillator following a news conference at UnityPoint Health — St. Luke's Hospital. The St. Luke’ Foundation distributed 56 AEDs and 92 trauma emergency first aid kits to agencies and organizations in Linn, Benton and Jones counties. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Tami Schlamp (left) with the Marion Chamber of Commerce, practices applying pressure to a wound Monday after packing it with cloth material as UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital’s Erica Albaugh instructs following a news conference at the hospital. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Karol Shepherd with the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival applies chest compressions Monday on a medical torso as she and co-worker Marnie Schultz practice CPR and the use of an external automated defibrillator following a news conference at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital in northeast Cedar Rapids. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Barb Hanneman, BSN and lead CPR instructor at UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids. teaches Brooke Prouty with the Marion Chamber of Commerce how to use an external automated defibrillator on a medical torso following a Monday news conference announcing recipients of AEDs and trauma first aid kits. A program overseen by the St. Luke’s Foundation donated 56 AEDs and 92 trauma kits in Linn, Benton and Jones counties. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
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