With new automatic electronic defibrillators installed at several Valparaiso parks, a group of pickleball players was trained Thursday in how to do more than just sing “Stayin’ Alive” if someone stops breathing.
The AED devices combined with CPR and a 911 dispatcher can help save lives.
Valparaiso Fire Department firefighter and paramedic Robert Cree pulled no punches. “Brain cells die in three or four minutes,” he said. A quick response is necessary.
“If we keep the blood moving, it’s not clotting. It’s not turning into Jell-O,” he said.
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The days of breathing rescue breaths into a patient’s mouth are over. Getting the heart pumping through chest compressions distributes oxygen. “High-quality CPR is the most important thing,” Cree said.
Cree and Tim Stiltes, the fire department’s Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction, are both certified CPR instructors. The back of their shirts has an important instruction for civilians responding to an emergency: “Call, push, shock,” in that order.
Calling 911 first gets help dispatched right away, and the dispatcher walks through the steps to take before professionals arrive.
“That’s your lifeline. That’s why we call 911 first,” Stiltes said. Put the phone on speaker and lay it down to help the patient while the dispatcher walks you through what to do. Stay on the line until first responders show up.
All Valparaiso police cars have AED units in them. “They’ll probably be the first to respond. They’re already driving around. They have little cars and they drive faster,” Stiltes said. Police generally arrive within a few minutes for life-or-death situations like this.
CPR begins before an AED shocks a patient.
The AED offers extra help for the patient.
There are several different brands in Valparaiso, but they all work the same, Stiltes said. “There are two rules with an AED. Turn it on, do what it tells you to do.”
An AED has pads to both shock and monitor the patient’s condition.
Stiltes and Cree demonstrated how to use an AED.
“It says remove the clothing. Grab the scissors, get it out of the way,” Stiltes said. Especially with women, remember to preserve their dignity as much as possible while saving their lives. Snipping a bra strap is quick and can minimize exposure while applying the pad directly to a woman’s skin.
People with very hairy chests might need enough hair shaved off to allow the pad to stick. A sweaty chest might need to be wiped off; a towel or shirt would work.
Stiltes and Cree showed where to place the pads.
“This has to be on the sternum in the middle of the chest,” Stiltes said.
“Guess what that plus is for? It’s where you’ve got to push.”
The device might tell you to push faster while doing chest compressions. “It’s not being disrespectful. It’s just telling you you’ve got to do better,” Stiltes said.
The AED will tell you when to stop compressions and get clear of the patient so the machine can do its work. It checks the patient’s condition and determines whether a shock is needed. Before pushing the button to shock a patient, make sure everyone is clear. If not, they’ll feel that electric shock, too.
Ken Steorts, of Portage Township, got the training after he had a vivid dream that involved a first aid kit. When he found out about the training Thursday morning, he made sure he attended.
The Valparaiso Park Department has AEDs publicly accessible at Valplayso, Tower Park, Rogers Lakewood, Foundation Meadows, Central Park Plaza, Fairgrounds Park and Valpawraiso, the dog park.
Last year, the mayor and City Council opted not to take raises and use the money instead to fund AEDs at parks. Several were installed in the past month.
Sandy Belantio, of Valparaiso, set up the training for her pickleball cohort. “I’m very happy that the parks got an AED,” she said.
When one of the players noticed the new AED at the pavilion, Belantio set up the training session.
“We picked the right guys to help us out,” she said.
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Heart Safe Porter County is hoping to put AEDs in more places and train people how to use them, Stiltes said. The public can email [email protected] to set up training sessions.
Stiltes showed an app that displays where nearby AEDs are located and added the one for First Christian Church across the street when he found out the church had one that wasn’t listed on the app. Users can manually add AED locations, he explained.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.