Pay it Forward: Local nonprofit donates AED to area schools
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KXPI/KIFI) - A life-saving device is now in the hallways of another area school thanks to a local nonprofit.
Temple View Elementary School in Idaho Falls is the latest recipient of an AED donated by the nonprofit People Against Impaired Driving or P.A.I.D.
"So exiting for Temple View that this award was presented to us today. It means life-saving equipment that we can use for anyone who may be in our building, whether it's for after school, for programs, or during the day," said principal Sarah Childers.
An AED is an automated external defibrillator. It is usually portable and can automatically diagnose a life-threatening cardiac situation and can shock the heart back into rhythm.
This donation Friday is the 19th AED placed in an area school by P.AI.D. Earlier in the day, the 18th device was donated to Linden Park Elementary School in Idaho Falls.
Pat Tucker, the founder of P.A.I.D., said the 20th device would be donated to Cloverdale Elementary School in Ammon later in the day. Tucker said each AED costs $1,600 and their donations have totaled $34,245 since the organization began.
P.A.I.D. was founded by Tucker in 2006 following the death of her 11-year-old daughter Cady. Cady was killed in a car accident August 15, 2002 when the car she was riding in was hit by a medically-impaired driver in Montana. Since then, Tucker has held fundraisers like the "Cady Tucker Run in the Spirit" to buy the AED devices for schools and raise awareness. The 10th annual run with be held July 17, 2021.
P.A.I.D. was featured as a Pay It Forward Recipient in February 2020, in which Mountain America Credit Union awarded $500. MACU is now one of the sponsors that makes the AED donations possible. Representative Kory Carling presented on behalf of the credit union.
