Happy Valentine’s Day! Of course, Valentine’s Day has us thinking about hearts...and hearts have us thinking about the AEDs aboard the TS Kennedy.
AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator.
If a person’s heartbeat becomes irregular, too fast, or too slow, an AED can apply electricity to help the heart establish an effective rhythm.
The portable defibrillator has something in common with the TS Kennedy. Its age! The portable defibrillator was invented in the mid-1960s by a man named Frank Pantridge. He was from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
AEDs can be found throughout the TS Kennedy. One is standing by on the Bridge, in the gym, on the Quarterdeck, in the Crew Mess Deck, in the After House, and in other key locations. The 1/C Medical Rates check the AEDs daily.
Every cadet at Massachusetts Maritime Academy is required to take a First Aid course in their first semester. One of the things that they learn in that course is how to operate an AED.
Of course, the cadets and crew aboard the TS Kennedy hope that all of their hearts remain healthy throughout Sea Term 20203, but are comforted to know that the AEDs are onboard if an emergency arises.
How many AEDs are in your school?
