School board approves defibrillators purchase

By Staff
Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
The Madison City Schools Board of Education has approved the purchase of nine automated external defibrillators that will be mounted on the walls in each school.
Two of the nine defibrillators will be located at Bob Jones High School. The other seven will be distributed at Liberty Middle School, Discovery Middle School, and the city's five elementary schools.
The city school's nurse, Bonnie Davis, said the goal is to have a defibrillator in each school by the end of the school year.
"We are getting specific information for the defibrillators now and will be taking bids soon," Davis said. "On average, each defibrillator costs about $2,400.
Davis said you never know when such a life-saving device may be needed.
"We are getting these defibrillators for the safety of not only the students and faculty in the schools, but for anyone who goes into the schools on any given day," Davis said. "We found out that a couple of lives were saved in the Hoover City Schools not too long ago – the reason being is because a defibrillator was on hand."
Davis said all of the coaches in the city schools are CPR trained. They will be trained to use the defibrillator upon their CPR re-certification.
"It is an easy device to use. In talking to the school board, I told them that having a device in each school is very important," Davis said. "Only trained employees will be able to use them."
Using shock waves to correct irregular heartbeats, the defibrillators are voice-activated machines.