AtlantiCare Partners with SJ Honor Flight Chapter to Save Lives in NJ

AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center regularly partners with members of the community to materially help to make Southern New Jersey a better place to live, work and play.

AtlantiCare team members recently met with the SJ Honor Flights organization and AtlantiCare donated AEDs and provided the necessary instruction on the proper use these life saving devices.

An Automated External defibrillator (AED) is extraordinary medical device that can:

An automated external defibrillator or automatic electronic defibrillator is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electricity which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm, according to Knowledge in Wikipedia.

Every school, gymnasium, athletic complex … and, really every where possible, should have an AED on hand.

An untold number of lives have been saved, including the NFL incident that occurred live on Monday Night Football, involving Damar Hamlin of The Buffalo Bills, who collapsed and went into cardiac arrest.

A rare incident of commotio cordis occurred when Hamlin took a hit to his heart during an exact timeframe of the beating heart … causing his heart to stop beating.

The AED was used multiple times to save Hamlin’s life.

Hamlin has made a complete recovery and has returned to the NFL football field and has resumed his football career.

AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, under the direction of Michael Charlton, President & Chief Executive Officer … are doing many new and dynamic things … such as their bold and ambitious AtlantiCare Vision 2030.

You can learn more about this vision Here.

Here are some of the AtlantiCare team members, along with SJ Honor Flights:

Group photo above (left to right): Christian Ragland (AtlantiCare), Kevin McDonnell (AtlantiCare), Pam Pontano (SJ Honor Flight Hub Leader), Linda Valente-Rose (AtlantiCare), Ron Pontano (SJ Honor Flight Hub Leader), Ann Jenni (AtlantiCare), Anita Garner (AtlantiCare), Scott Tilton (AtlantiCare), Jim Cooper (AtlantiCare), Christiana Muhlbaier (AtlantiCare), Brittany Knapp (AtlantiCare), Dr. Jeff Van Hook (AtlantiCare), Mary Law (AtlantiCare).

AED Group Photo above: Christina Muhlbaier gives Ron Pontano instructions on the AED machines, to Pam Pontano, Kevin McDonnell, and Anita Garner

Specifically, AtlantiCare is donating three AED machines, $500, and 13 wheelchairs to the SJ Honor Flight organization .