By Martine Wolfe-Miller, PIO

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (July 15, 2009) – Mount Pleasant Fire Chief Herb Williams announced that the Mount Pleasant Fire Department has received a $16,000 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The award, secured through the grant writing efforts of Capt. Rob Wronski, will allow the department to purchase an AutoPulse - an automated, portable device that squeezes the entire chest, improving blood flow to the heart and brain during sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation representatives will donate the equipment to the Mount Pleasant Fire Department on Tuesday, July 21, at 9:30 a.m., at Firehouse Subs, 603 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. The AutoPulse device will be available for simulations and demonstrations.

“The AutoPulse Non-invasive Cardiac Support Pump moves more blood, more consistently than is possible with human hands. It allows rescuers to provide compressions while performing other life-saving activities, or while transporting a victim down the stairs or in the back of a moving ambulance,” said Wronski.

“We already have a device in service on engine five at Park West and we will work towards securing funding for additional devices until we have an AutoPulse with every Mount Pleasant fire engine company,” added Chief Williams. “All of our personnel have been trained and are familiarized with the unit.”

About Sudden Cardiac Arrest
SCA, an abrupt disruption of the heart’s function, which causes a lack of blood flow to vital organs, claims more than 325,000 lives each year in the U.S. It is the leading cause of unexpected death in the world and strikes without warning. Currently, only about 5 percent of victims survive; 95 percent will die from SCA.

About Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation
Launched in 2005 by Firehouse Subs founders Chris and Robin Sorensen, the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was created to extend the Firehouse Subs mission to provide emergency service entities with life-saving equipment and to provide prevention and educational tools to the public about the importance of emergency services and natural disaster preparedness.
For more information of Mount Pleasant Fire Department, contact us online at www.townofmountpleasant.com.