Does your house of worship have an AED? Many EMS and Fire Service professionals have expressed interest in helping to place an AED in their own house of worship – or other churches/synagogues in their communities. The Initial Life Support Foundation (ILSF) has created a special program to assist in doing so.

Despite tremendous advances in resuscitation medicine and community emergency services' best efforts, the percentage of "out of hospital" initiated, successful "saves" from sudden death has sadly been very low. However, putting AEDs in churches and other community gathering places – where minimally prepared, ordinary people can use them - is a growing and stunning success story with cardiac arrest survival rates as high as 50-75%.

Through the Foundation's program, faith based institutions and facilities are eligible to purchase brand new, “rescue ready” AED devices priced at $995 each. (Four different AED manufacturers have made their units available at this price.) But, "AEDs alone don’t save lives…AED Programs do!” So in addition to access to low cost AEDs, ILSF also provides a variety of free vital resources and tools that may be needed to help you (or other appropriate person within the congregation) manage and operate an effective onsite AED Program as an integral part of your community’s EMS System.

Established in 2002, information on the nonprofit ILSF and all of its services can be found at www.ilsf.info. “Membership” in the Foundation and access to all AED Program support resources are free of charge. Please go to the Foundation’s web site or contact me directly regarding this special opportunity to help enhance the efficacy of your community’s EMS System and help protect more people from premature death.

Frank J. Polliafico, RN

610-566-2824