This gift will allow more AED's to be placed with organizations throughout Berks County.
Cardiac arrest is the single largest cause of death in the United States.
Sudden cardiac arrest, caused by abnormal heart rhythms, results in a quivering heart muscle, known as fibrillation. The heart is unable to pump blood through the body. Once blood stops circulating, oxygen loss begins to injure the brain and heart. A person quickly loses consciousness and will die within minutes if not defibrillated. AED's provide a brief, effective shock through the person's chest to the heart, interrupting the abnormal rhythm and allowing the heart's natural rhythm to regain control.