Friday, June 28, 2002

East Point's fire department gets help from South Fulton Medical

South Fulton Medical Center and the SFMC Auxiliary presented a check for $10,000 to the East Point Fire Department's First Responders recently at The Commons at Fort McPherson.

This donation will be used to purchase five new AEDs, or Automatic External Defibrillators, for fire department use in cardiac emergencies.

An AED is a small, lightweight device used to assess a person's heart rhythm, and if necessary, administer an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm in victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

When a person suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, the chance of survival decreases by seven percent to ten percent for each minute that passes without defibrillation. Experts estimate that 100,000 lives could be saved each year if AEDs were widely used.

The East Point fire trucks currently do not have AEDs and this will give them an immediate way to help people suffering from cardiac arrests.

"South Fulton Medical Center is proud to present the East Point Fire Department with this check for life-saving equipment. We at South Fulton Medical Center are committed to the safety and well being of our community," said SFMC's CEO Dr. Andrew Agwunobi.

The Mayor of East Point, Patsy Jo Hilliard, attended the event to show her support for the contribution, as did Fire Chief Rosemary Cloud, representing the East Point Fire Department.

"The City of East Point Fire Department appreciates this generous donation from the South Fulton Medical Center and the Health Care Auxiliary," said Rosemary Cloud, East Point Fire Chief. "The addition of this important medical equipment to our emergency vehicles enables us to better serve the East Point community."

East Point is a community of 40,000 residents located on 16 square miles in south Fulton County. With easy access to MARTA, Hartsfield International Airport and numerous major thoroughfares, the community seeks to become the modern version of the traditional town - a place where history is respected, neighborhoods are preserved and people of all races and religions are welcome.

The 356-bed South Fulton Medical Center is part of Tenet's Southern States Region, which includes 10 hospitals in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Tenet Healthcare, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates 116 acute care hospitals with 28,677 beds and numerous related health care services.

Its hospitals and subsidiaries employ approximately 113,750 people serving communities in 17 states. Tenet's name reflects its core business philosophy: the importance of shared values among partners ­ including employees, physicians, insurers and communities ­ in providing a full spectrum of health care. Tenet can be found on the World Wide Web at www.tenethealth.com.