Gilmer County Commissioners are pleased to announce the purchase of ten Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). The grant-funded $40,000 purchase comes from collaboration between the Gilmer County Commission and the Glenville State College Grants Management Team.

County Emergency Services Director Susie Kirkpatrick had expressed a dire, local need for the AEDs in a February meeting between Commissioners Larry Chapman and Brian Kennedy, county agency representatives, and the GSC College Grants Management Team. Commissioners Chapman and Kennedy and GSC President Peter Barr called the meeting to explore cooperative opportunities.

County Emergency Services staff pointed out that heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Most of these deaths occur from a disturbance in the heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation cuts off blood supply to the body’s organs. AEDs are capable of interpreting a person's heart rhythm and automatically delivering a defibrillation shock with only minimal operator training. The AEDs will be dispersed in public gathering sites across the county.

In a joint statement, Commissioners Chapman and Kennedy as well as President Barr said, “We view this funding as an early indication of the benefits of the collaboration between Glenville State and the Gilmer County Commission. Our close collaboration will continue to produce tangible results to the benefit of County and College stakeholders.”