Linderman gets defibrillator
<p>From left to right: Shelley Croft, of Chubby Chicks, Mikayla Croft, cheerleader, K-Ann DeLong and school nurse Millie Nesladek demonstrate the new defibrillator on Ethan McCauley.</p>
<p>From left to right: Shelley Croft, of Chubby Chicks, Mikayla Croft, cheerleader, K-Ann DeLong and school nurse Millie Nesladek demonstrate the new defibrillator on Ethan McCauley.</p><p></p>
<p>Ethan McCauley feigns a cardiac victim.</p>
Chubby Chicks Basketball for Heart was on the scene to demonstrate how the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) works and Ethan McCaulley was the patient to be worked on.
Four years ago the very first Chubby Chicks Basketball for Heart game was played at Linderman Gym and it was the Bloodclotters vs. the DeFibrillators. The main idea was to raise awareness of heart disease in women.
Two years ago at the last Chubby Chicks Basketball Game an AED machine was donated by Chubby Chicks for Heart and is now ready to be hung on the wall at Linderman gym. Having an AED machine is vital for when someone goes into cardiac arrest and they have been known to save lives.
The Polson School Board approved a written Automated External Defibrillator (AED) policy in September. A written plan has been completed, which outlines the placement of the AEDs, a listing of those trained, maintenance records, and report of use of the AEDs.
The Polson School District now has an AED placed at Linderman Gym, Polson High School, and Polson Middle School although the AED at Linderman was donated by Chubby Chicks Basketball for Heart. Twenty seven employees of the district took the “Heartsaver CPR/AED” training from Cindy Hagen, R.N. Several others are already certified in CPR/AED, and listed as authorized to operate the AEDs. Tim Thornton at St. Joseph Medical Center, has agreed to be the AED Medical Supervisor.
Millie Nesladek, R.N., will be the district’s representative in inspecting the AEDs and monitoring the AED program. Nesladek stated, “thanks goes out to all the efforts in organizing the Chubby Chicks fundraiser, and subsequently purchasing the AED for our school district. Who knows how many lives may be saved, because of this donation.”
Shelley Croft stated, “I am so happy that this machine is finally able to be put up on the wall before the basketball games start this year.
Who knew by watching my kids play basketball and having this thought and implementing it, that this would be the outcome.
It is such an accomplishment for us and I want to thank the players, the cheerleaders and everyone involved that made this happen.
We can’t forget to thank the Polson School Board for writing this policy so that this AED machine and the others can be in our Polson Schools.
It took a lot of work and dedication to get this AED up and going but most of all I want to thank the community.
I have always said that this community supports all fund-raisers and without that this would have not been made possible. We are not sure if we are going to do another game in April 2015.
I will have to check with the players first before I can make that decision.”