LIFE-SAVING GIFT | Oklahoma Disaster Restoration to donate AED to Glencoe Public Schools
Oklahoma Disaster Restoration will install an AED system at Glencoe Public Schools on December 13 at 10am
December 12, 2022
Oklahoma Disaster Restoration (ODR) is set to donate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to Glencoe Public Schools and is inviting local media to attend.
"I want to say a huge shout-out and thank you to ODR. This means a lot to our community, just knowing that we're going to be safer and that means a lot to me personally as well”
“We have our tornado shelter for the town here….when they built the gym five years ago they put that underneath. Our safe rooms are underneath the bleachers and that's why it is going to be such a big deal.” said Glencoe Public Schools Superintendent Jay Reeves
The donation, which is set to take place on Dec 13 at 10am, marks the second in a continuing series of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) presented to Oklahoma Schools. The first went to Prue Public Schools in September, a donation that Prue school officials described as “potentially life-saving.” According to ODR co-owner Tammy Stokes, the donation is just the latest in the ODR’s goal of giving back to the community.
“We’re really excited about this one. Neither the school nor the town had a working defibrillator so I think this will be an awesome thing to have for that area and will help the whole community” she said.
“We met with the Mr. Reeves at the OSSBA (Oklahoma State School Boards Association) conference and at that point in time they heard that we were doing this program and said they really want to be on the list. The superintendent is new to the district and he realized that they did not have a working defibrillator and so he asked to get on that list. An AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias which lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Often confused with a heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest is a serious condition that in some cases may be fatal.
“Mr. Reeves and Glencoe schools have really taken a positive step to protect not only their children but also members of the community as a whole,” said ODR Commercial Business Development representative Brady Deaton.
While ODR is primarily known as a Disaster Restoration Company, they endeavor to spend a lot of time with schools and businesses that can’t afford to have the necessary equipment to assist in an emergency. The AED device treats conditions through defibrillation, which allows the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm. More importantly, AEDs are designed to be used by a layperson through simple audio and visual commands and are taught in many first-aid, certified first responder, and basic life support level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes. Glencoe Mayor John Kuhn says that the donation is meaningful not only to the school but to the whole town, citing that the school’s gymnasium doubles as a city storm shelter. “I'm very thankful that we have people that will step in and help out our community,” he said.
“I think the town’s going to feel safer because of it just knowing that we have that” Kuhn said.
“And think of the response time. We are centrally located, and the school is just the heartbeat of our town, being a rural school like this. So I think it'll absolutely be a benefit to the whole community.” ODR is a locally owned, non-franchise, disaster restoration company that has been in business since 1988. Their technicians are trained and certified in disaster restoration services such as water & flood damage, fire & smoke damage, mold remediation, and additional disaster restoration services. The company has invested in state-of-the-art technology, staff, and equipment for reconstructing your home or business to its original state or better.
“We’re very excited to be a part of giving them something that is going to help save lives and we’re really proud of them as a community and thankful to be a part of it” Stokes said.
“We've been very lucky in getting the jobs that we have and having the revenues available to be able to steward our money this way and what a great way to give back to our community.” ODR plans to give away one AED per quarter to a school in need.
Schools interested in being considered for a donation or interested in a no-cost emergency plan should contact Deaton at brady.deaton@okdisaster.com or by calling (918) 622-7641.