EASTON, MD - An automatic external defibrillator and other medical life-saving equipment were installed in downtown Easton.
Installed on Washington St. next to Doc's Downtown Grill, the project is Easton's new and first 24-hour and publicly accessible AED.
Partners within this program are the Bluepoint Hospitality Group, Talbot Emergency Services, and the Talbot Paramedic Foundation. Bluepoint Hospitality says they came up with the idea, to put it downtown after they were taking CPR classes.
Michael Smith the Head of Safety and Security for Bluepoint Hospitality says, "So throughout that training, I found out about the community program that Talbot County offers with the AEDs that they do with the schools and the parks, and we were able to become a sponsor for that."
So what is inside this cabinet?
Tina Kintop, the Division Chief with Talbot Emergency Services says, "It is temperature-controlled and inside this cabinet, we have the AED that anybody can open and use. It also has a stop-the-bleed kit which is not your basic first aid kit but it has tourniquets for any kind of mass causality or mass bleeding incident. We also have a Narcan administering device in here in case anybody has an opioid overdose."
Kintop says this has the potential to save lives.
And, there's no worry of theft because when it's opened a loud, piercing sound emits from the cabinet. Not only is there a siren but a camera and sensors will take pictures and put you in contact with 911 immediately.
Julia Foxwell also with Bluepoint Hospitality says this downtown location is the best accessibility point.
"We would be able to respond to someone's crisis immediately. I'm not a physician but I know that the quicker someone is treated, the greater likelihood they're going to survive."
Foxwell added that Blue Point Hospitality was able to purchase the temperature cabinet for all the equipment. She says the cabinet cost about $3,500. The Talbot Paramedic Foundation was able to supply the medical equipment. This project in downtown Easton was done all through private donations.
Kintop says the AED will be checked periodically and stocked if needed.
