April 29, 2008 – GENEVA, IL – Robert Quinlan was only slightly kidding.
As he introduced the topic of the Kane County Forest Preserve District buying 12 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) recently, he said, “This is a topic close to my heart, obviously.”
Quinlan has not had to use a defibrillator but said later he does feel a lot of tension in his job as the chief financial officer for the forest commission. And that is just one of the many potential reasons defibrillators could be useful, especially in a forest preserve, where help might not immediately get to someone in distress.
The commission’s utilization committee recommended spending $15,000 through the state purchasing plan to buy 12 AEDs.
“(An AED is) very simple to use," said Commissioner John Fahy, R-West Dundee. “It walks you through it. But people have to get training so they’re not intimidated to use it.”
Officials said about 85 percent of the district’s full-time staff, including full-time and seasonal police officers, are certified in CPR and in how to use the defibrillators.
-Steve Lord, The Courier News