Platteville EMS receives Dubuque Racing Association Grant for Project Pulse

Platteville EMS as the lead agency for Project Pulse was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Dubuque Racing Association.  The grant money has been used for the purchase of 3 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), cabinets, carrying cases, extra pads and staff training.  The defibrillators were recently received and have been installed in their designated locations within City facilities.  The three that were purchased as a result of this grant were placed in a Police Department squad car, Street Department garage and Wastewater Treatment Plant.

An AED is a portable device that when applied is able to determine if the patient’s heart is working correctly.  When needed, the AED sends an electric shock in an attempt to return the heart to a normal rhythm.  AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).  SCA is when the heart suddenly stops working correctly and blood stops flowing to vital organs, especially the brain.  SCA causes death usually within minutes when not treated.  In each minute of SCA, a person’s survivability decreases by 10 percent.  The use of an AED on a person suffering from a SCA event may save that person’s life.

For more information on Project Pulse, please contact the Platteville EMS office at 608-348-1835 or email allenb@platteville.org.