Weems places publicly available defibrillator downtown
Prompted by the recent death of an Apalachicola man on a downtown street due to a cardiac event, the Weems HealthCare Foundation has invested in community safety by strategically placing the first of what it hopes will be a series of automated external defibrillators in public locations throughout the county.
The first AED was unveiled earlier this month at the Apalachicola Post Office, housed in a red container built by T.J. Pendleton, in a location accessible around-the-clock.
Colleen Zester, chair of the foundation, said plans are to secure further funding, either through donations or grants, so that additional devices gradually will be installed in high-traffic areas throughout the downtown district, and at locations throughout the county..
“Our commitment to community health and well-being is unwavering,” Zester said. “Providing public access to AEDs empowers individuals to take immediate
action in critical situations.”
To complement the AED installations, Weems Memorial Hospital and Franklin County
Emergency Medical Services are offering community-wide CPR and AED training sessions, to equip residents with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to
cardiac emergencies.
“AEDs are a vital link in the chain of survival,” said Franklin County EMS Director Randal
Waltman. “By making them readily available in public spaces, we’re increasing the chances of a positive outcome for individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.”
Waltman provided a demonstration of how to apply the defibrillator, in a process made easier by automated instructions provided by the machine.
Zester said that with the help of employee discount, the foundation was able to purchase for about $640 the devices which regularly sell for in the neighborhood of $1,600.
The unveiling ceremony included representatives from the Weems HealthCare Foundation, Weems Memorial Hospital and Franklin County EMS.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.