Lawmaker Wants Defibrillators Given To Volunteer Fire Departments

A state lawmaker has asked Gov. Frank<br>Keating to support the use of tobacco settlement money or bond<br>issue funds to buy life-saving equipment for volunteer fire<br>departments across the state.<br>Sen.

Thursday, September 2nd 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A state lawmaker has asked Gov. Frank
Keating to support the use of tobacco settlement money or bond
issue funds to buy life-saving equipment for volunteer fire
departments across the state.
Sen. Lewis Long, D-Glenpool, proposed on Wednesday that $4
million be set aside to buy Automated External Defibrillators,
known as AEDs, which are portable, battery-operated versions of the
hospital emergency room machines that deliver measured electric
shocks to stabilize heart rhythm.
"For people who live in rural communities out of reach of
emergency trauma care, these devices can literally be
life-savers," Long said.
He said AEDs cost about $3,000 each, meaning the state could buy
about 1,300 devices with $4 million.