Thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of a local high school senior, the Denton Police Department now has its own portable defibrillator.
“There’s a two-minute window of opportunity to save the life of someone in cardiac arrest,” said Gray Stone Day School senior Martha Louise Beyeler. “And since police officers are often the first to arrive at the scene of an emergency, I decided to hold a fundraiser so that the Denton Police Department could have a defibrillator.”
Called DeFib-to-Live, Beyeler’s senior project included various fundraising efforts including a candlelight dinner in April that generated most of the necessary funds - nearly $1,500 toward the $1,800 goal. She also held several bake sales to raise money. The campaign was held in memory of her friend, Canaan Miller, who died in August 2007 of heart failure.
Denton Police Chief Mark Hicks said this week that, although officers have yet to encounter a situation where they were required to use the defibrillator, they are all familiar with the equipment and plant to hold a refresher course in June.
“Whoever is on duty carries (the defibrillator) with them in the patrol car and we change it out at the end of each shift,” Chief Hicks said. This way, the machine is always available in the event that it is needed.
“I’m just so happy that I was able to do this for the community,” Beyeler said of the DeFib-to-Live campaign. “And I’m really glad the project was a success...now I just have to get through my (senior project) presentation on Friday!”
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