ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- When Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during a live televised game, an Automated External Defibrillator, or AED, saved his life. President Biden is expected to sign a bill this week that will put more AEDs in schools. On Tuesday, local businesses and non-profits were awarded the lifesaving machines by way of a grant from the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation and the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York.
Phillip Coffin, who instructs the courses for the American Red Cross says even though the machine will tell you what to do, it is important to remember one thing first, “Send someone to call 9-1-1 because we want that emergency services on its way,” said Coffin.
Local organizations in Albany or Rensselaer County with an annual budget of $750,000 or less qualify to apply for the grant. And one of Troy’s oldest congregations of nearly 200 years, the Fifth Avenue African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was one of the recipients. “The money that comes into our church comes in on a Sunday morning and when we have to take care of the lights and things like that nature sometimes, we're not always having the necessary resources to do something like this,” said Pastor Victor Patterson.
Local non-profit, Stride Adaptive Sports was also awarded an AED. “We work with children, young adults and warriors that have disabilities. We can have 40 to 50 people in the room and if anything happens, we might have their families their grandparents, so having the training, we had two people come for the training, and getting the equipment is massive. It's going to save lives,” said Executive Director, Alex Brame.
The Stephentown Library recognized the need for an AED after losing one of their own to a heart attack. “It spurred us to say we need to make sure that we can help people. The library is the community center, and we deal with a lot of people all the time. So, it's good to know that if somebody needs help, we will be able to give that,” said Library Director, Kim Roppolo.
Sheila Mendleson with the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation says the grant covers the training. All you need is two staff members willing to take the classes. “This is a very particular program, and it is new. We hope to be able to distribute as many as possible. And I think with the impact that it made this go around, it'll be here for the future,” said Mendleson.
Derek Dobson, Regional Philanthropy Specialist for the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York said the lifesaving machines were awarded to a total of “25 organizations, which equals 25 AEDs. We're definitely in talks with bringing this back, next year. As we look into the spring and the summer, probably, is when we'll restart it again.”
You can apply for the next round of grants at the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation website.
