AA Co Fair Defibrillator GoFundMe

www.AACountyFair.org 

The majority of you have attended at least one event held at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds in the past year. We have so much going on that it is hard not to find something fun to do here.


Whether it is a concert, a tractor pull or the county fair we hold yearly in September, the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds is a place where people come together and it has been that way since the fair’s earliest days back in the winter of 1952.


What you may not know is that Anne Arundel County Inc. runs the Fairgrounds and is a 501(c)3 non-profit all-volunteer organization.


Meaning, we rely solely on donations and ground rentals to maintain our buildings, grounds, and structures, etc. and all money taken in directly benefits the fairgrounds.



We have some of the best folks in the whole county donating countless hours of their time every single day to make sure the fairgrounds continue to be the same fun and family-friendly place that you remember from your childhood.


This year will mark our 67th county fair. That is a lot of wonderful memories and happy families, and thankfully, every year we have a bigger turnout than the year before.


As the fair continues to grow, there may be an increase in medical needs as our population ages that attends our events on the grounds. 


That isn’t a scare tactic, although it is pretty scary. Annually, more than 350,000 Americans have an “Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest”- which is a fancy way of describing a heart that stops beating outside of the hospital- and without immediate treatment the survival rate for someone in that terrifying circumstance is just 10% and that already slim chance decreases as every minute passes.



Ready for some good news?


A shock from a defibrillator saves lives. An Automated External Defibrillator (or AED for short)  is a treatment for life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias. Defibrillators are used to deliver a dose of electric current (often called a countershock) to the heart. When used, they depolarize a large amount of the heart muscle, ending the dysrhythmia and restoring a normal heartbeat.


It sounds technical, but what it means is that if an AED is used within one minute, it can increase a victim’s chance of survival by 40%.


That is a huge difference. That is the difference between life and death.


As volunteers at a non-profit organization, none of us got into this for the money. We come here every day and donate of ourselves to help make the lives of the families in and around Anne Arundel a little bit brighter. We give people a safe place to come together and make memories.


Today, we are asking for your help to make our fairgrounds a little bit safer.


Due to the large number of acres that make up the fairgrounds, we estimate that three (3) defibrillators are essential to cover the following areas: one for the office, one for the barn area and one for the exhibit hall.


We would also be extremely grateful for funds to purchase three first aid kits to add to those same areas.


The health and safety of our guests is our top priority, but we need your help to make this incredible life-saving equipment possible for the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds.




References:

Go AS, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2014 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. December 18, 2013.


Link MS, Atkins DL, Passman RS, Halperin HR, Samson RA, White RD, Cudnik MT, Berg MD, Kudenchuk PJ, Kerber RE. Part 6: electrical therapies: automated external defibrillators, defibrillation, cardioversion, and pacing: 2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency