Thursday March 28th, 2024 10:00AM

AEDs adding layer of safety for Helen merchants, visitors

HELEN — When someone experiences a heart attack, medical care is crucial and seconds count.

In Helen, where weekends draw thousands of visitors to a confined space and traffic can be a nightmare, what if the Helen-based White County ambulance and the city's first responders are tied up on another call? It can take an extended time for those trained personnel to reach a victim.

Following the recent death of Helen businessman Geff McAllister, a donor stepped forward to help the city place an automated external defibrillator (AED) in the downtown area.

Helen Fire Chief Jody Prickett discussed the donation at the most recent Helen City Commission meeting, saying he and others are working to determine the best place to locate the device so that it can be accessed in an emergency.

Prickett said nurses, off-duty EMTs and firefighters, doctors and others may be in town and will be able to locate and utilize the device to provide help until Helen Fire and Rescue and White County Emergency Medical Services personnel arrive.

"Somebody they don't even know could fall out and if they have an AED around they can go and use it," Prickett said. "If somebody like that can get on the patient quicker, it's best for everybody. The quicker you put that on, the better chance of that person surviving."

In addition, the Helen Chamber of Commerce Board recently voted to purchase and install an AED inside the Festhalle, where many large gatherings — including Oktoberfest — are held each year.

The chamber worked with Prickett to purchase the same type device the fire department is purchasing with the donation money so that personnel and volunteers can receive training on like AEDs.

Renee Chacon, executive director of the Helen Chamber, told commissioners Helen police have access to the Festhalle and could retrieve the AED if there is an emergency where it is needed on the south end of the city.

"Hopefully we'll get some more of them around town," Prickett said. "That's one good thing that we could do is if we did have a few that we could put out ... the hotels and stuff around here that are open 24 hours, they could just have one on standby inside that we could run in or even the public could run in and know there's an AED in there, it would be a whole lot helpful."

Any businesses, residents or organizations that want to purchase or donate an AED to be placed in a specific location in Helen can contact Prickett at (706) 878-3676, or Helen City Hall at (706) 878-2733.

In addition to the city, Helen Fire Department responds automatic aid with White County in certain areas and mutual aid on structure fires on the north end of the county, making stationary AEDs that much more important in the city.

"You never know," Prickett said. "The ambulance or fire station, firefighters could be out on another call and somebody coming from Cleveland, or even farther from Habersham could be the first ones here."

  • Associated Categories: Homepage, Business News, Local/State News, Politics
  • Associated Tags: Helen, Helen City Commission, Oktoberfest, Fire Chief Jody Prickett, Festhalle, AED, heart attack, Helen Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director Renee Chacon
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