ALBERTON
After getting in on a conversation about the importance of having an automated external defibrillator (AED) located at school, Alberton elementary school parent and paramedic Jason Milligan went home and drafted a letter.
He planned on taking the letter around to local businesses to see if they would sponsor the device. He made it to one store.
Milligan said he approached the owners of Alberton Pharmacy, Della and Dennis Rix to see what they thought of his letter before he started his rounds.
“Who could say no to something like that?” Della Rix said in explaining why she and her husband decided on the spot to take care of the purchase themselves.
The store actually decided to order two of the AEDs – one for the school and one to be kept in the pharmacy in case a cardiac emergency occurs close by. They’re expected to arrive within days.
They’re easy to use, Dennis Rix said. “They’re all voice-prompted. As soon as you hit the ‘on’ button, it starts telling you what to do.”
The pharmacy owners were recognized for their contribution Thursday during the Alberton Elementary School Christmas concert.