A life-saving donation
Community Medical Centers board secretary Ralph P. Garcia hopes his latest contribution will save lives - and so does the Huron Police Department, which received two automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through Garcia's efforts.
Garcia helped supply the grants as a representative for the California HealthCare Foundation, and the AED training through the Community Medical Foundation.
“I have been looking for a way to help the rural cities most effectively,” Garcia said. “When I spoke to the chief of police, Frank Steenport, he said that they have a lot of people who die from heart attacks.”
Because of Huron's rural location, the first responder to any emergency is often the city’s police department.
“In the last five years, I can recall two or three times where lives could have been saved if we had had faster medical attention,” Steenport said.
Steenport said ambulances can take as long as 30 minutes, and with no closer emergency medical care he said it's the department’s responsibility to be prepared.
“It’s our duty to our community,” Steenport said.
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| Ralph P. Garcia |
An AED automatically analyzes the patient’s heart rhythm and advises the rescuer whether or not a shock is needed to restore a normal heartbeat. If the patient’s heart resumes beating normally, it has been successfully restored.
“I wanted to figure out a way to give adequate training on the AEDs,” Garcia said. “I went to Jim Rodriquez, who is with Community Medical Foundation, and we figured out a way to actually supply the AED training to Huron.”
Huron’s police department received complimentary training from Naomi Isaak of Community’s cardiac response project, which aids in supplying Valley businesses with electronic defibrillators.
“I went and trained the Huron officers on the new AEDs and plan to return to train the office staff,” Isaak said. “The chief really knows what he is doing; he really cares about his officers and his community.”
With one AED located in the police department and the other in a police vehicle, the town is now more prepared than it has ever been.
“Although most of the community will be surprised to see the police provide this level of service, we are trying to raise the level of our service,” Steenport said. “The whole city is reshaping itself to better serve others.”
Without the help of Garcia, the people of Huron might still be waiting for medical response teams.
“It’s the best of both worlds,” Garcia said. “Everybody wins and you’re saving a life.”
This story was reported by Kelsey Baker. She can be reached at MedWatchToday@communitymedical.org.