FARMINGTON – NorthStar has announced that it has helped place Automatic External Defibrillators with two local physicians’ practices: Franklin Health Wilton Family Practice and Franklin Health Livermore Falls Family Practice.

When faced with a sudden cardiac arrest, AEDs are simple to use and will “prompt” a user through CPR, will determine if the person can be helped with the AED and will “shock” a patient if appropriate. It is one element in the chain of survival that has helped heart attack patients go on to recover.

NorthStar Director David Robie said at last count there were at least 51 AEDs in service in the region. That includes 22 in fire, police and the Franklin County Sheriff’s departments, one on each of NorthStar’s 11 ambulances and another 18 in community locations, such as physician practices, schools and recreation areas.

To find out where the AEDs in Greater Franklin County are located, go to NorthStar’s Web site at www.fchn.org/NorthStar, under the “community services” section.

“NorthStar encourages everyone to take a CPR class and to become familiar with AEDs,” said Robie. “They could literally save your or a loved one’s life.”

Visit www.suddencardiacarrest.org for additional information.