DAN News
DAN Awards AED to East Carolina University's Diving and Water Safety Office
Last Updated: 9/15/2008 6:15:15 PM

Divers Alert Network recently made a 50/50 grant match to East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. Through its Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Matching Grant program, DAN awarded the Philips Heartstart FRx AED to the university's Diving and Water Safety Office.

Mark Keusenkothen, ECU diving safety officer, said the Dive Safety Office oversees the universityÕs training, certification and safety of compressed gas diving conducted. "We conduct scientific diving training courses that generally serve 10-20 students each year," Keusenkothen said. "Additionally, we keep all ECU scientific divers (approximately 40 at any given time) updated on CPR and first aid. The AED will be used as part of that training program."

Keusenkothen said the AED will help safeguard various activities at the school's natatorium. In the school's confined-water training, 150-200 students per year participate in the recreational scuba program. Recreational scuba instructors also teach CPR and first aid. The ECU swimming and diving team practice and compete there, and the facility hosts swim camps and other swimming events throughout the year.

For the complete package valued at more than $1,500, ECU will contribute half, and the DAN AED Matching Grant program will match that.

Recognizing the lifesaving potential of AEDs, DAN provides matching funds to dive operations, dive destinations and dive groups wishing to purchase an AED and make it available to divers. The AED Matching Grant program, begun in 2004, assists individuals, businesses or organizations that have a connection to diving or aquatics and can demonstrate a genuine need for an AED in their normal operations.

For more information about the AED Matching Grant program, click here. <