Board of Trustees Tanya Patton and Friends of the Dayton Memorial Library Pearl Dennis
Photo by Sylvia Beuhler

The Friends of the Dayton Memorial Library (FOL) group is pleased to announce the purchase of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) which is now installed at the library. This purchase was funded in part by a grant received by the FOL from Broughton Land Company, along with proceeds from recent FOL book sales. The AED unit is installed in the Delany room to ensure availability to all building users, even when the library is closed.
The FOL initially proposed the purchase to the Library Board early in 2019. The Board delayed the decision to accept the proposed gift while various concerns were researched. During that review it was recognized that the Library had no requirement for staff to be first-aid or AED trained. In preparation for receiving the AED unit, Dayton Memorial Library staff completed first-aid and AED training.
The library AED is the latest unit to be placed within the community; others are located primarily in county and school buildings. These units can be effectively used by non-trained individuals, prior to the arrival of emergency responders, by following the audio instructions provided by the machine. Contact the local fire district for information on First-aid and AED training.

According to the Red Cross, “An AED … is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It’s a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.”