AEDs Donated in Alana’s Honor

Nearly a year after the tragic death of high school senior Alana Williams at the intersection of W.Va. Route 9 near Home Depot, a donation of potentially lifesaving automated external defibrillators (AEDS) has been delivered to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.

The donation, made by Rescue One/Training for Life, was secured by longtime Jefferson County resident Laura Frey, who witnessed the crash last year and administered CPR at the scene. Frey, in a letter written last year to Jefferson County commissioners, explained that she had asked a police officer on scene if he had an AED, and the answer was no.

Frey later called the sheriff's department to confirm that its deputies did not have AEDs and, upon finding that to be true, she set about searching for grant funds to perhaps allow the purchase of some of the devices.

After contacting numerous former co-workers from her law enforcement career, Frey was led to Jeremy Gruber, owner and founder of One Life.

Gruber agreed to donate 30 AED units -- one for each vehicle so that every officer could be prepared for a possible emergency. To accept the donated equipment, the sheriff's department had to fund the maintenance plan at a cost of approximately $8,850.

After requesting funds on two different occasions from the Jefferson County Commission, that governmental body agreed to fund the plan, noting that future coverage of the yearly plan would need to be part of the sheriff's budget.

The units, worth approximately $48,000, were delivered to the sheriff's office this week. Gruber demonstrated how the machines work as many of the department's officers gathered in their training room.

"These are Lifepack 1000s," Gruber said, explaining that the units are simple to use and ocme with a ready pack that includes scissors, pads, gloves and other items necessary to use the unit.

"It's a semi-automatic device," Gruber went on, noting that the unit actually audibly gives directions for use. "The individual must push the shock button when ready."

Gruber gave the officers present time to ask questions, and many took advantage of the opportunity. While each officer has basic first-aid and CPR training, the idea of administering a shock to a victim seemed to give them pause. Questions ranged from where on the person's body to place pads to whether a victim's skin may need to be shaved, as the pads must be placed directly on skin.

Gruber indicated One Life would provide additional training on the units.

"We are willing to ensure that proper training is done and will work with the sheriff to set that up, " Gruber said.

Jefferson County Sheriff Tom Hansen expressed his appreciation on behalf of the department and on behalf of those who may potentially benefit fro the donated units.

"These will be deployed in all cruisers," Hansen said. "We are typically first on the scene, and with a cardiac event, these will be an aid and help save more lives."

Michael Williams, Alana's father, was on hand when the AEDs were presented.

"I am here due to the tragic loss of my daughter," Williams said. "I learned there were not AEDs, and Laura helped bring it to light. She drove most of this, and it will be hugely beneficial to the county as a whole. Hopefully, it will save many, many lives."

During the presentation, it was mentioned that municipal departments in the county do not have AEDs in their vehicles, just as the country did not. The reason, just as in the case of the county, is potentially due to lack of funding.

Gruber indicated that he would be happy to meet and work with the municipal departments to possibly secure units for them, as well, all with a goal of allowing officers, often first on the scene, to save lives in those first few moments before medical personnel arrive.

This article was originally published by The Journal on March 16, 2023.