On July 1, 2015, the Wood County Historical Museum received a generous donation of an Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) machine from the Bowling Green Rotary. The machine was presented by David and Jodi Anderson.
David and his wife Jodi founded the Heart of BG Project in Bowling Green in 2014. With the cooperation of Mayor Dick Edwards and other key community members, the Heart of BG Project has now put six AED machines in public places around the city: the Senior Center, Wood County Library, Biggby Coffee, Grounds For Thoughts, the Bowling Green Country Club, and now the Historical Museum.
“The true hero here is Bowling Green Rotary who stepped up and donated those funds for the AED,” says Anderson, who is also the incoming president for the BG Rotary. AED units typically cost between $2,800 and $3,200, but Anderson works with the vendor Zoll to acquire the units for about $1,500, which include a cabinet and device. Replacement of pads and batteries are required after 5 years at a cost of only $270 making the device very inexpensive to operate at $27 per year over 10 years.
The BG Rotary supported the Wood County Historical Museum as a candidate due to the proximity to emergency care if needed. An AED increases the survival rate of someone that has suffered a cardiac arrest dramatically, and the number of people served at the museum through tours, events, and staffing made it a viable recipient. The timing of this gift also aligns with the current Accessibility Project, a major renovation to add safety and accessibility features to the museum including an elevator, ADA-compliant restrooms and ramps, and improved parking. “It gives your customers the peace of mind of direct emergency care when visiting,” added Anderson.
The Heart of BG Project strives to place Automatic External Defibrillators throughout Bowling Green as a tribute to Anderson’s father who suffered a Cardiac Arrest in May of 2013. He was saved by an AED after being dead essentially for 6 minutes.
For more information about the Heart of BG Project, contact David Anderson at 419-348-8463 or through the BG Rotary facebook page at facebook.com/rotarybg. The Museum will resume public hours in October, 2015.
