Heidelberg faculty, staff receive training on new AED units donated by alumni

Tiffin, Ohio — Heidelberg University has recently equipped its faculty and staff with the necessary training to handle emergencies on campus, following a generous gift from alumni Dr. Ernest Estep and his wife, Bonnie.

The couple gifted the university with 35 new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) units, which will allow for at least one unit to be present in every campus building.

“I just want Heidelberg to be prepared in all the classrooms, residence halls and athletic fields,” said Dr. Estep, a retired OB-GYN.

The need for new training arose after the Esteps saw a need for additional AEDs on campus and stepped up to fill it. The training was conducted by Tiffin Fire and Rescue Division Deputy Chief Mike Homan and three colleagues, in collaboration with staff from Heidelberg’s Stoner Health & Counseling Center and Campus Safety & Security.

“The AEDs will walk you through, step by step, everything you need to do if you encounter a person in cardiac distress. You are the one who will be giving that person a chance for the best possible outcome,” Homan said.

The combination of CPR and early defibrillation can be effective in saving lives when used in the first few minutes following a collapse from sudden cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association recommends that if performed immediately, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

The training has been considered beneficial by those who attended, and the Office of Alumni Engagement is reassured to have the new AEDs on campus and to have received the necessary training on how to use them.

“It feels reassuring to have the new AEDs here in all of our buildings and more importantly, to now have this training on how to use them,” said Ashley Helmstetter, assistant vice president of Alumni Engagement and HYPE Career Ready at Heidelberg. “I feel ready to assist in an emergency situation if one presents itself.”

The biggest addition will be in the residence halls, where all the dorms will have the AED units and resident assistants will have the necessary knowledge to use them.