Peekskill Rotarians Donate $15,000 to Buy CPR System for the Peekskill Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps
The Peekskill Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps will receive a check for $15,000 from the Rotary Club of Peekskill to purchase an automated system that will enhance the capability of EMT volunteers to provide life-saving CPR in emergency situations. The check was presented by President Ron Worth to Ed Kelly, and Tim Warn during the club’s weekly meeting on Feb. 25, 2016, at the Cortlandt Colonial Restaurant.
From left to right: Ned Curry, Ed Kelly, Tim Warn, and Ron Worth
The system, a LUCAS 2 Chest Compression System, will be available for the first time in this community. It delivers effective, consistent and uninterrupted chest compressions, helping to maintain good circulation in a patient on-site and as medics remain seat-belted for better safety while under-way to a hospital. And it will reduce the number of EMTs to assist with CPR during a cardiac emergency.
Peekskill Rotarians decided to donate the equipment following a demonstration of the devise by EMT volunteers during the club’s weekly meeting on Mar. 11. Rotarian Ned Curry was so impressed that he started calling other members to see if he could raise the money needed. “I was thrilled by the response,” he said. “Our members saw how dedicated the volunteers are, how much time they commit to responding to emergencies and the value they and this device will bring to all of us. Everyone wanted to be a part of the effort.”
Within a week, Peekskill Rotarians donated some $12,000. The Rotary Club of Peekskill Foundation contributed another $3,000 to cover the full cost of the system.