A Skaggs Foundation Grant helps an area Fire District acquire first response cardiac equipment.

The complete release from Skaggs Foundation is below:

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen at any time without warning, and when the unthinkable happens, minutes count. The quicker an automated external defibrillator (AED) is used on a cardiac arrest patient, the better the chances are that the patient will survive. 

In eastern and central Taney County, oftentimes the first on the scene of a medical call is a Central Taney County Fire Protection District first responder. It’s this reason that Skaggs Foundation has awarded Central Taney County Fire Protection District with a $27,068 grant to equip their responders with AEDs.

“Our first responders live throughout our district and can ideally arrive on a scene of a medical call several, potentially life-saving minutes before ambulance service,” explained Rebecca Murphy, a firefighter with Central Taney County who applied for the grant. “Our furthest response area to the closest ambulance station is 17 minutes.” 

Skaggs Foundation Director of Community Relations Mindy Honey said the foundation is honored to fund the request for 15 AEDs, knowing these AEDs can cut response time.

“Those minutes can be live-saving,” Honey said. “When Rebecca approached the foundation about funding for the AEDs, it absolutely made sense to get these devices into the hands of people who will likely be first on the scene of a medical emergency.”

Funding for the project was made possible by Skaggs Legacy Endowment. Since the endowment was established in 2013, the foundation has awarded more than $8.3 million to organizations working to improve health and wellness throughout Stone and Taney counties. The foundation is accepting grant applications now through 5 p.m. April 28. To learn more about Skaggs Legacy Endowment or to apply, visit SkaggsFoundation.org. 

To learn more about Central Taney County Fire Protection District or how to become a volunteer firefighter, visit centraltaneycountyfire.org.