Saturday, January 18, 2025
SPRINGTOWN — On Dec. 12, the Parker County Hospital District gave an update to the Springtown Area Chamber of Commerce about its program to place automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, throughout the county. The county-wide incentive is aimed to save lives by significantly reducing the response time to cardiac emergencies.
Parker County Hospital District EMS Director Jim Backus explained to the chamber the importance of community involvement in achieving the goal of becoming a “four-minute community,” meaning to be able to reach anyone in an emergency within four minutes.
“On average, it takes about 10 minutes for an ambulance to reach a location in Parker County,” Backus said. “That’s just too long for someone in cardiac arrest. We need to engage the community to ensure hands-on-chest CPR and AED use can happen quickly. This is not just a fire department or EMS problem. It’s a community problem.”
The Citizen EMS program, led by Chris Hummel, is trying to place 216 AEDs across Parker County’s 920 square miles. This program is focused on providing every family or business with access to the devices.
“AEDs cost around $1,700 each, not including activation fees, but their value is immeasurable,” Hummel said. “The first four to five minutes of a cardiac event are critical. Having an AED nearby could mean the difference between life and death.”
Right now, 13 AEDs have been bought through donations. Seven were purchased last week and six more are on the way.
To support the program, the nonprofit Citizen EMS group is hosting its first big event Feb. 1 at Weatherford High School called “The Parker County Chocolate Festival.” All donations from the event will go toward the purchase of AEDs.
Hummel asked the chamber tough questions to generate urgency as to how important this program is. “How much is your daughter’s life worth? Your son’s? Your own?” Hummel said.
Community involvement is important to the program’s success and residents are encouraged to participate in AED training and CPR certification classes that the Parker County Hospital District offers. The next class is scheduled for Jan. 18.
“This is about building a stronger, united Parker County,” Hummel said. “Together, we can save lives and become a model for the rest of Texas.”
To sign up for the training, visit the Parker County Hospital District website at pchdtx.gov. For more information on the AED initiative or to donate, visit the Parker County Hospital District website.
