The Visalia Breakfast Rotary Club will help install 150 new defibrillators throughout rural Tulare County. The county received a $225-thousand grant to buy 150 defibrillators. They are used in emergency situations to help restart the heart when someone goes into cardiac arrest.
The Rotary Club's Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program has helped install the systems in Visalia schools and businesses. They're excited to extend the program to rural areas.
"In Visalia itself it's estimated that about 160 people a year die in Visalia from cardiac arrest now we cant save all of them but if can save one or two a year, that's certainly well worth it," said Marin Hanson with Visalia Breakfast Rotary.
"It's awesome to have the training out in the community to save lives," said nurse Lorraine McElroy.
A registered nurse will help train employees on how to use the defibrillators.
