Salisbury Paramedic Foundation hopes upcoming 5K will help fund lifesaving equipment

SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury Paramedic Foundation is launching it’s first 5K Fun Run/Walk. The event seeks to raise money for the Foundation and support it’s efforts in the community. The purpose of the Salisbury Paramedic Foundation is to support opportunities which provide resources, expertise, governance, credentialing and research that will directly impact the Salisbury Fire Department and its community.

“Our big initiative right now is public access AEDs,” says Salisbury Paramedic Foundation Board Member Debi Hammel. “There’s a partnership right now with Wicomico County to place, I think, ten AEDs, and we’re hoping to do amny more than that.”

The plan is to place the AEDs or automated external defibrillators where most people gather in the County, like at ballfields or parks. By having better access to the equipment, they hope residents can help provide lifesaving care while someone else calls 911.

“Having those first couple of minutes covered by having an AED, which will walk you through what to do, so if you’ve never done CPR before, if you’ve never operated an AED, it walks you through step by step what you need to do and where. You know it can make the difference in saving somebody’s life,” explains Hammel.

The AEDs are just one project they have in the works with the Foundation looking at other safety equipment for the community.

“We are going to be working on bike helmets and life jackets, community bike helmets, you know that’s important as well,” says Hammel.

All of these projects of course take money, which they are hoping to raise through fundraisers like the inaugural Salisbury Paramedic Foundation 5K Fun Run/Walk. The event will be held April 27th starting at 9AM. Registration is just $30 and you can sign up on their website.