AEDs in Cal Poly residence halls
Donation protected
Did you know that Cal Poly, SLO doesn't have a single AED (automated external defibrillator) in any of its residence halls? And that every minute spent finding one could mean the difference between life and death?
In the Poly Canyon Village apartments, for example, the closest AED is about a half mile away. This means that if a cardiac arrest were to occur in any of the dorms or apartments, where over 7,000 students live during the academic year, AED-trained students and resident advisors would be forced to waste precious minutes finding a defibrillator and bringing it to the victim rather than providing immediate treatment.
According to data from the American Heart Association, while only 10% of people experiencing cardiac arrest survive, early defibrillation in combination with immediate CPR can more than double a victim's chances of survival. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, a victim's odds of survival decrease by 7-10%. And as if that isn't bad enough, brain damage resulting from cardiac arrest typically occurs within the first 5 minutes.
Our goal is to fund the addition of AEDs in every residence hall at Cal Poly. Our goal, $62,475, will be enough to pay for 49 AEDs to place in all 49 residence halls. We plan to donate the funds we raise to the college to fund these lifesaving devices, and hope to see them added to our residence halls by the end of the academic year. With your help, we can make Cal Poly a safer place for its students to live, and if even one life is saved by one of these AEDs, then we were successful.
In the Poly Canyon Village apartments, for example, the closest AED is about a half mile away. This means that if a cardiac arrest were to occur in any of the dorms or apartments, where over 7,000 students live during the academic year, AED-trained students and resident advisors would be forced to waste precious minutes finding a defibrillator and bringing it to the victim rather than providing immediate treatment.
According to data from the American Heart Association, while only 10% of people experiencing cardiac arrest survive, early defibrillation in combination with immediate CPR can more than double a victim's chances of survival. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, a victim's odds of survival decrease by 7-10%. And as if that isn't bad enough, brain damage resulting from cardiac arrest typically occurs within the first 5 minutes.
Our goal is to fund the addition of AEDs in every residence hall at Cal Poly. Our goal, $62,475, will be enough to pay for 49 AEDs to place in all 49 residence halls. We plan to donate the funds we raise to the college to fund these lifesaving devices, and hope to see them added to our residence halls by the end of the academic year. With your help, we can make Cal Poly a safer place for its students to live, and if even one life is saved by one of these AEDs, then we were successful.
Organizer
Jack Pawela
Organizer
San Luis Obispo, CA