I’ve been following the stories in the newspapers regarding the lack of a defibrillator at the East Brunswick Senior Center.
The explanations given by the East Brunswick administration for not having a defibrillator in the senior center have been ludicrous.
As I understand the situation, township resident Hy Merson recognized the importance of having a defibrillator at the senior center. In 1996 he collected money for this purpose, raising the first $1,000 from the Friends of the Senior Center. His fund-raising drive totaled $16,000. This enabled the township to purchase four defibrillators. In 1997 one was assigned to the senior center and the other three were assigned to the township.
It is important to note that the money was originally raised to provide a defibrillator for the senior center. For some reason, we now learn, the defibrillator was removed from the senior center approximately three years ago. Why was it removed and who gave the permission to do it? Those questions haven’t been answered.
A big question is raised as to how things are done in the township. The mayor didn’t know anything about the removal, yet the township administrator and the special assistant to the mayor know about the removal. Who makes the decisions without the mayor’s knowledge?
The mayor’s assistant said the defibrillator was removed to the police station and that police would respond to needs at the center. I wonder how many minutes it would take to respond to a call from the center. Every minute counts, and surely a defibrillator at the center would shorten the time for the application of this lifesaving device to the patient.
The business administrator stated that the staff at the center is not trained to use a defibrillator. Why not? Shouldn’t training have been given to the staff at the same time training was given to the police? That training should have been given three years ago, and the defibrillator should not have been removed.
The money was raised to buy a defibrillator for the senior center, and the contributors expected their money to be used as they wished.
As of the time of this writing, the center is without a defibrillator. What a shame.
William Vassi
East Brunswick