LifeSouth donates defibrillators to UF

December 20, 2012

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida campus got a bit safer with a gift from LifeSouth Community Blood Centers this week.

On Wednesday, LifeSouth President and CEO Nancy Eckert presented two automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, to UF Director of Environmental Health & Safety William Properzio. The devices are used to treat a person experiencing a cardiac arrest. Properzio said this gift brings the total AEDs on campus to more than 100.

“We hope we never have to use these,” he said after the presentation.

Properzio said one of the new devices will go to UF’s Library West, while the other will go to the College of Education in Norman Hall.

“The students and faculty help our community every day by donating blood, and we saw this as one way we could help make the campus a little safer,” said Eckert. “We are also putting the devices on all four of our bloodmobiles that regularly visit campus.”

Properzio said the devices are simple to use.

“It talks to you,” he said. “It will calmly coach you through the rescue. Smart pads react to what the rescuer is doing and will make the right shock decision, you cannot accidentally hurt someone. This will even coach you in how to do CPR.”

LifeSouth is the first organization to donate AEDs to UF. He said the gift is appreciated, and he hopes it encourages other organizations to follow LifeSouth’s lead because access to AEDs saves lives. The devices have already been used on campus.

“We’ve had two saves so far,” he added.