Did you know that every Homer Police vehicle on duty has a defibrillator?  Did you know that there are AT LEAST 15 Public Access defibrillators available in Homer?  Did you know that the State Troopers have to go to their Post in Anchor Point to have access to a defibrillator?  Most of us did not, but that is the way it is.  Samantha Cunningham was kind enough to give us very useful information on the use of Public Access defibrillators, which tend to be quite a bit different than those that medical professionals use.  We also found out that the Alaska State Troopers do NOT have defibrillators in their vehicles.  Twelve years ago they did, but apparently the money to maintain them was never appropriated.  Batteries and other needed supplies are relatively short lived, so those defibrillators are no longer available.  The only defibrillator available to Troopers is required to be left at the Post in Anchor Point until it needs to be used, when a Trooper can take it to the site where it is needed.  That can be 50 miles one way.
 
Part of the reason she come to our Club is that Samantha is attempting to raise funds to equip the Trooper's vehicles with defibrillators and provide for their maintenance.  Each Unit will cost about $1500.  More on that at a later date.
 
 
Samantha Cunningham introduces Defibrillators to the Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary Club.
 
And this is a Public Access Defibrillator...
 
Just follow the directions--this is where the pads go...
 
The machine tells you where to FIND the pads...
 
Where to PUT the pads...
 
And what to do next....
 
Including when to STOP.