Watertown,
New York ----- The Wellesley Island Fire Department recently purchased
a LifePak 12 cardiac monitor and defibrillator. This equipment is
used by ambulance personnel to monitor a patient’s heart rhythm
during emergency transport to a hospital. The monitor produces a
readout of the rhythm that is either transmitted or printed for review
by the emergency physician prior to or immediately upon arrival at the
hospital, thereby saving valuable time, expediting administration of
appropriate “clot busting” medication, and oftentimes
improving patient outcomes. The equipment also features a
defibrillator function, which can be used to attempt to
“shock” the heart into a normal heart rhythm during cardiac
arrest.
The purchase was made possible by an equipment grant from the Thousand
Islands Hospital and Health Services Support Trust. Monies raised
were matched by an anonymous donor, bringing the amount raised by the
Trust to $10,000. Nick Dunkirk of Westminster Park has collected
over $2000 in donations received from the popularity of his homemade
bread. Nick’s bread is baked in a special oven at his
cottage, and all proceeds have gone to the “Defib Fund”.
The Thousand Islands Hospital and Health Services Support Trust was
established in the early 1990s to support healthcare in communities on
both sides of the St. Lawrence River. The current board members
are Irving Rosen, President, from Kingston, Ontario, and trustees
Herbert Gibson of Brockville and Joseph Russell of Alexandria
Bay.
The major fundraising event for the Trust is the Thousand Islands Golf
Classic, which is held in conjunction with the Samaritan Foundation of
Northern New York. Again this year, the golf tournament was held
June 12th at the Thousand Islands Country Club on Wellesley
Island. In addition to supplying equipment grants to the WIFD,
the Clayton Family Health Center and the River Hospital have been past
recipients of funding from the Trust.
Through the work of dedicated volunteers, the Samaritan Foundation of
Northern New York works with individuals, businesses and other
foundations to improve the healthcare of our region. The
Foundation’s mission is to encourage gifts that support and
advance healthcare provided by Samaritan Health System and to increase
the public’s awareness of and participation in health and
wellness programs. For more information on giving opportunities,
contact Patricia Tague at the Foundation office, 785-5785.
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