Northside Hospital-Cherokee donated an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) to the City of Holly Springs Police Dept. recently. The unit will be out on the roads with the on-duty police sergeant for each shift.

According to the American Heart Association, approximately 360,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests are reported each year in the United States. AEDs available on the market today are safe and simple to use by non-medical personnel. Voice prompts and visual displays guide the user through the process, while the computerized device accurately assesses the cardiac state of the patient, makes an appropriate therapy decision and administers electric shock, if needed, in order to restore the heart to its natural rhythm.

"Officers from the City of Holly Springs Police Dept. are often the first responders on a scene where an individual needs emergency cardiac care," said Rob Logan, city manager, City of Holly Springs. "The AED donation from Northside Hospital-Cherokee will provide the department with immeasurable benefit that might be the difference between life and death for such an individual. The City of Holly Springs is grateful for the relationship that we have with Northside Hospital-Cherokee."