The Ocean City Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit announced Oct. 23 that it received two Phillip’s Heartstart Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) courtesy of the Jennifer Ward Memorial Fund.
These AEDs have been deployed daily in the Traffic Safety Unit vehicles to better enhance the quality of service to Ocean City residents and visitors, according to a press release from Detective Sgt. Stephen Sullivan.
This crucial piece of life saving equipment will allow police officers to be more able to respond to cardiac arrests.
The AEDs have been labeled “Jen’s AED” in honor of Jennifer Ward and will allow Jennifer Ward’s spirit and love to continue on, according to the release.
The Jennifer Ward Memorial Fund was founded by Gerry and Jerry Ward, parents of Jennifer Ward.
Jennifer attended Ocean City High School and became a school teacher at St. Anne’s Regional School in Wildwood. She passed away Jan. 7, 2005, when she went into Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) at just 29.
Sudden cardiac arrests claim close to 295,000 lives every year, many times without warning in seemingly healthy people. With Jennifer’s passing her parents formed a memorial fund in her honor and has donated over 50 AEDs to worthy local causes.
Additionally, they have trained hundreds of lay people in CPR/AED use and awarded over $25,000 in scholarships to deserving students in the South Jersey area who are going to school for teaching or the medical field.
Part of the Wards’ goal is to bring awareness to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Rapid deployment of an AED and CPR administration immediately after someone collapses increases chances of survival dramatically.
Sullivan said the Ocean City Police Department is proud to be the recipient of the AEDs and thanked the Wards for their generosity and support of the police.
