School Defibrillator Saves Grandmother's Life

By: Connie LeGrand/News Channel 7 | News Channel 7
Published: May 09, 2008

Tonight a family in Travelers Rest is thankful for a life-saving AED device at their son's school. That device and some quick reacting school administrators revived the boys' grandmother after her heart stopping beating in the school parking lot. Today News Channel 7 talked to the folks at Northwest Middle school who saved a woman's life.
School Nurse Ann Taylor says it was Thursday afternoon, when she was called to help when student's grandmother stopped breathing. Nurse Taylor grabbed the school's automated external defibrillator and took off for the parking lot, where she used the device. An AED sends an electric shock through the chest wall and into the heart, and Taylor said it brought the woman back to life. “The moment of getting the pulse back was the biggest relief. You could feel it was so strong and seeing her take that first breath... It was amazing," says Taylor.
It’s a success story that makes school principal Lee Givins quite proud. Givins says, “It’s a great feeling to know that we had the training and equipment to save a life. It's just beyond words… Normally you think about athletes, but this just goes to prove that every public place needs to have some type of AED device that is accessible and trained personnel available."
It’s equipment that school administrators and volunteers worked hard to buy, selling pickles and beef jerky. “The machine we wanted so badly and worked so long to get helped to save that lady's life. That was just phenomenal," says assistant principal Elaine Hitch.
It was the first time Nurse Taylor had used the device or administered CPR, but as humble as she is, she said they all worked as a team to save that grandmother's life.
The woman was taken by ambulance to the hospital where we are told she was last reported in critical condition.