An Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) saved Buffalo Bill’s player Damar Hamline on January 2nd 2023 as he collapsed to the ground. How lucky he was that staff and trainers started CPR and used an AED to revive him. Life is pretty fragile and an AED saved his life.
The Withee Public Library felt a need to have an AED in the community and raised funds to purchase the AED from donations, Tootsie Roll Game funds, and the O-W Lions. Not only will it benefit those in the library but those in the entire community. It will be housed in the municipal building/library for easy access.
An AED is a medical device that is connected to an unresponsive person who is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It is sophisticated, yet easy to use as it gives instructions to the user when to apply shock.
The Owen-Withee Schools have had an AED for over twenty years and has multiple ones in the buildings. The one purchased is the same brand and style so that it is familiar to local residents. In the past, community activities have borrowed one of the AEDs from the school in case of an emergency.
Demonstration and training using the AED and CPR will be held at the Withee Public Library on Tuesday, August 8 at 7 PM and on August 9th at 1 PM. It will last about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Please preregister with your name, phone number and session you prefer by calling the Withee Public Library at 715-229-2010 or emailing director@withee.lib.wi.us. by August 7th.
We hope to never have to use it, however, there is nothing more important than saving lives when the need arises.