Kingston, NY- Today at the Kingston Center of SUNY Ulster, Ulster County Executive Mike Hein was joined by Commissioner of Health and Mental Health Dr. Carol Smith and other members of the HEART Safe Committee to present SUNY Ulster’s President, Dr. Alan P. Roberts with HEART Safe community designation signs. County Executive Hein acknowledged the College’s commitment to the health and safety of staff, students and visitors to the campus by arranging to have CPR and AED trained personnel and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) readily available. SUNY Ulster has trained over one hundred staff and has eighteen defibrillators located near Emergency Call button stations in their various buildings. In addition, SUNY Ulster has tracking programs for inspections on each defibrillator for battery life and current date of expiration of each set of AED pads, as well as for training and recertification of CPR and AED cards for staff. They have also established protocols for response and timing, and have designated landing zones for helicopter evacuations.
“As someone who lost their own brother to a heart attack at only 44 years old, I commend SUNY Ulster’s commitment to ensure that AED’s are readily available,” said County Executive Mike Hein. “If someone suffers from sudden cardiac arrest, they will have the best chance of survival. The College is being proactive by having a great number of their staff trained with lifesaving skills and supplying AED equipment throughout their campus and is a terrific community role model. I want to thank the Ulster County HEART Safe Committee and SUNY Ulster for their efforts as we continue to strive to make Ulster County the Healthiest County in the State of New York.”
Dr. Carol Smith, Ulster County Commissioner of Health and Mental Health
"We are delighted that SUNY Ulster, one of our community's leading institutions, has made a strong commitment to secure the AED equipment and implement the training that can save lives. We know that even a few minutes can make big difference in surviving a cardiac arrest. Having the proper CPR training, and an AED unit available, can make the difference in whether someone lives or dies. The County Executive and I hope that every organization that manages a public space will follow SUNY Ulster's lead in achieving Heart Safe status," said Dr. Carol Smith, Ulster County Commissioner of Health.
Dr. Alan P. Roberts, President, SUNY Ulster
"SUNY Ulster is proud to be recognized by County Executive Hein and the HEART Safe Committee as an educational institution with a heart safe campus,” said Dr. Alan P. Roberts, President of SUNY Ulster. “A year and a half ago we had three AEDs on campus and a handful of trained volunteers. Today we have eighteen AEDs between the Stone Ridge Campus, the Business Resource Center, and the Kingston Center of SUNY Ulster along with 115 trained volunteers. Thank you to Ann Marrott, Vice President and Dean of Enrollment Management, Mary Tyler, Coordinator of Health Services and Wayne Freer, Director of Safety & Security for their efforts and support of this important initiative."
The Ulster County HEART safe program ensures that those suffering from a cardiac arrest have the best probability of survival. A HEART Safe entity or community promotes:
- CPR training in the community;
- Public access to defibrillation through strategic placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs);
- Early advanced care; and
- Increased of out hospital survival rate.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, and, pursuant to the American Heart Association, less than 5% of sudden cardiac arrest victims survive because those witnessing the arrest do not know CPR or the chain of survival steps. Knowing the correct steps to take can increase the survival rate to 20% or more.
To learn more about the Ulster County HEART Safe Program visit the Ulster County website at www.ulstercountyny.gov/health/making-ulster-heart-safe.
Pictured below (from left): Wayne Freer, Director of Safety & Security SUNY Ulster; Vic Work, Member of the HEART Safe Committee; Mary Tyler, Coordinator of Health Services SUNY Ulster; Dr. Carol Smith, Commissioner of Health and Mental Health and Member of the HEART Safe Committee; County Executive Mike Hein, Alan P. Roberts, President SUNY Ulster; Stacy Kraft , Public Health Education Coordinator and Member of Member of the HEART Safe Committee; and George Hill, Member of the HEART Safe Committee.
