Akron General Distributes AEDs to Schools, Police
The Ohio Department of Health named Akron General Medical Center the administrator of the Ohio School AED program, which provides free Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to schools across the state. Terry A. Gordon, D.O., a cardiologist at Akron General, directs the project and testified before the legislature to secure the necessary funding so that every school in Ohio has an AED. Akron General administered the first phase of the program as well, placing AEDs in 2,262 schools statewide by June 2005. In addition, Akron General partnered with the American Heart Association in 2006 to provide 46 AEDs to local police departments, Highway Patrol and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Officers Ben Lohrum (left) and Aaron Burnette accept the University of Akron police force's new AED.