A Safer Sanibel

WHAT IS SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL?

We are a nonprofit, dedicated to the future. In the ocean, and upon its shores, we teach both children and adults about marine ecosystems. It is our hope that, through their newfound knowledge and experience, all of our clients will love the ocean just a bit more, and thus be motivated to work on its behalf. All of our educators are field based and first aid trained.

A SAFER SANIBEL

On average, our vehicles and vessels are out in the field more than 700 days per year, covering much of the area of our islands.  Each is equipped with a first aid kit, but we do not currently have AEDs to supply every boat, bus, van and truck. 

"Safety is our number one goal at Sanibel Sea School, and we take it seriously. All of our staff are first aid and CPR certified, but that training is much less effective without access to the proper equipment.” 

-Emmett Horvath, Marine Science Educator

Very often, we treat minor injuries while out in the field, for people not associated with our programs – from helping someone who has just crashed on their bicycle to  cleaning and wrapping shell lacerations. We would like to be prepared for more serious conditions that we may encounter in our community. We have AEDs in our buildings, but they are of no value to our staff who are roaming the islands. Our goal is to have an AED in each of our vehicles and vessels so that when an emergency arises, we are able to make the fullest use of our training. And, we will mark each vehicle so that anyone who may need an AED knows that we have them.

According to 2014 data, nearly 45% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survived when bystander CPR/AED was administered. We want to be better equipped to be those bystanders.

WHY AEDs?

AEDs (automatic external defibrillators) are small, portable machines that can monitor the heart's rhythm and send an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm when necessary. They are used to treat victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which is when the heart suddenly stops beating.

According to Tim Barrett, Training Captain at the Sanibel Fire Department, "SCA is a leading cause of death in the United States. More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year. Twelve percent of those victims survive. SCA can happen to anyone at any time. It is important for companies and organizations to implement AED programs so employees are prepared to respond to an SCA emergency.”

In one year alone, 475,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest. Globally, cardiac arrest claims more lives than colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, influenza, pneumonia, auto accidents, HIV, firearms and house fires combined.

THE SOONER THE BETTER

To be of assistance to our local community, this needs to happen now! Our goal is to equip our vehicles and vessels immediately while our islands have many visitors for the summer.