|
|
September 19, 2003/Elul 22 5763, Vol. 55, No. 56
Beth Israel strives for safer synagogue
JESSICA BARBER
Staff Writer
Attending services and programs at Temple Beth Israel has become a little safer.
The temple, along with 47 other Valley sites, is participating in the Public Access Defibrillation trial, which provides automated external defibrillation machines to public gathering places. AED machines are used to administer electric shocks to the heart in case of cardiac arrest.
Although the temple has not had cause to use any of its four AED machines, staff members and congregants have responded positively to their presence.
"If I were needy, I would be glad to have them around me," says Terry Taubman, executive director of the synagogue. "I hope that others will follow and be interested in completing the training."
All members of Temple Beth Israel's main-tenance staff and about two-thirds of other staff members received CPR and AED training through the study, which is supervised locally by Arizona Arrhythmia.
However, individuals do not determine if a victim should be shocked, explained PAD coordinator Debra Johnson.
"The machines don't have paddles," says Johnson. "Instead, they have big electrodes that you place on the patient - you don't even have to touch (the patient). The machine analyzes the patient's heart rhythm to determine whether or not to shock the patient. Afterwards, if there is still no pulse, the machine instructs the person to begin CPR."
According to the American Heart Association, says Johnson, nearly 250,000 people die each year from cardiac arrest. The survival rate with CPR only is about 5 percent. With an AED machine, the survival rate jumps to 80 percent, says Johnson.
Temple Beth Israel was contacted about participating in the study nearly three years ago by a PAD coordinator.
"In retrospect, it was a courageous move for the board to approve entering the study," says Taubman. "It was after some understanding of the project that the temple realized we were very lucky to be asked to participate."
Other Valley locations participating in the study include the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center and Senior Center, American Lutheran Church in Sun City, North Phoenix Baptist Church and Sun City West recreation centers.
The VOSJCC senior center has renewed their contract to keep a machine for an undetermined amount of time, according to Sandy Reichsfeld, employee at the center. Although the center has not needed to use the machine, Reichsfeld believes that seniors and staff "feel very safe with the machine here."
Temple Emanuel of Tempe also has an AED machine; however, they are not participants in the PAD trial. Emanuel's AED machine is a result of a fund-raising campaign begun by Zachary Priddy of Ahwatukee as a bar mitzvah project. The synagogue has also not used its machine.
The PAD trial, scheduled for completion on Sept. 30, was conducted nationwide. Results will be published by the American Heart Association in upcoming months.
After the study's completion, Temple Beth Israel will be allowed to keep two of their AED machines. Taub-man plans to extend training for CPR and the machines to members of the synagogue's congregation.
In addition, Temple Beth Israel is at the forefront of a nationwide campaign to include AED machines in synagogues.
"An administrators network through the UAHC and the National Association of Temple Administrators ... are considering doing this all around the country. It's expensive, but a very worthy proposition," says Taubman.
|
