Lafayette Township to purchase defibrillator

LAFAYETTE — Although hoping to never have to use it, Township Committee members at the Lafayette Municipal Meeting decided to spend $700 to purchase an AED machine for the Town Hall.

Mayor Richard Hughes said has been in contact with the Newton Medical Center and has sorted out all the details.

In order to save some time and money, Township Committeeman Alan Henderson, a retired law enforcer, has volunteered to train 12 individuals, including those working in Town Hall, on the use of the AED machine. Often times, bringing in a certified individual to train each person could cost each person from $60 to an upwards of $110.00, according to the American Red Cross.

“At no cost to the township, Henderson will volunteer his time to train the 12, otherwise, it would have cost us $60 a person. We would like to thank Alan for his service,” Township Committeeman John D’Angeli said.

The purchase will be made quickly, but often times there is a backlog of AED machines, so Hughes hopes to receive it by the start of summer.

“This will probably be the June time frame, until AED’s are available,” said Hughes.

John Strowe, captain of the Lafayette EMS Squad, also has offered to volunteer his time to help with training of the AED machine, if it is necessary.

An AED, or External Defibrillator Device, is a portable, battery-operated device used to administer an electric shock to the heart. Through chest pads, the device can monitor heart rhythm and indicate if an electrical shock from the AED is needed.