Safety First

Safety comes first at Penn State Altoona, with the purchase and installation of the college's first four Public Access Automated Electronic Defibrillator (AED) devices. The devices are placed strategically around campus to facilitate immediate assistance to a victim of cardiac arrest.

"It has been proven that AEDs in the public arena save lives, if they are available and people are trained to use them," explains Delmar Woodring, manager of Police and Safety. "They increase the chance of survival of a cardiac emergency. With CPR only, you have a two percent reversal rate in people with a cardiac emergency. With EMS and emergency responders, the rate increases from five to fifteen percent. With CPR and an AED, the rate increases from thirty to seventy-five percent."

The cost of each unit, complete with mounting case, is approximately $1,600. Penn State Altoona purchased the four AEDs through the private support of Allegheny Supply and Maintenance Co., Inc.; Altoona Metro Transit (Amtran); Bettwy Electric; Helen Christodoulos; June Champion; Dick's Pharmacy, Inc.; Durbin and Associates; M&T Charitable Foundation; Delmar S. Woodring; and N. Susan Woodring.