Cannot justify removing defibrillator from center

I can’t believe a defibrillator was removed from the East Brunswick Senior Center three years ago.

East Brunswick resident Hy Merson launched a fund-raising drive in 1996 to obtain a defibrillator for the center. According to reports, he apparently raised $16,000. In 1997 a defibrillator was placed in the senior center with the precise intention of providing immediate emergency treatment, should it become necessary.

To learn that the defibrillator was removed because no member of the staff was trained to use it is unbelievable. Instead of removing the unit, arrangements should have been made to immediately train a member of the senior center staff. That arrangement should have been the responsibility of the East Brunswick administration since it claims to be concerned about seniors.

I was appalled by Businesses Administrator James White’s comment in an article in the Sentinel ("Mayor Says Defibrillator Situation Being Addressed," Feb. 12) that in the last five years there have been no incidents at the senior center that required a defibrillator. Another disappointing statement was made by Democratic Councilman Donald Klemp when he said, "Seniors were in no way jeopardized." Does that mean that because I haven’t had a fire in my house in the past 20 years that I don’t need a smoke detector in the house or a fire hydrant on my block?

It is my opinion that the seniors were not protected as well as they could have been had the defibrillator stayed in the senior center. Seconds count when a person suffers a heart attack, and the time lost in waiting for the police to respond to a call could be fatal. The defibrillator was purchased by money donated by people believing it would be placed to protect seniors at the center. There was no justification in removing the unit from the center.

Much credit should be given to Hy Merson for being concerned enough to raise money for the defibrillators that were placed in the center and first placed in police cars. He also was instrumental in obtaining $60,000 from the state to get a bus for the senior center. If it wasn’t for his concern for the seniors and the fact that he made an issue of the missing defibrillator at a public meeting, I wonder if the defibrillator would ever have been returned to the senior center.

Frank J. Coury

East Brunswick