Volunteer firefighters’ campaign supports AED for sports complex

The Bethel and Stony Hill volunteer fire departments are encouraging residents to purchase and install a blue reflective address marker — with proceeds going toward the purchase of an automated external defibrillator for the school sports complex.

As of Feb. 19, the departments were 50 signs away from meeting their fundraising goal.

The fire departments have been campaigning for two years for residents to install these address markers, which make identifying a home in an emergency much easier for first responders. The sales also benefited the fire departments.

In an effort to get more signs around town, the departments announced a fundraising campaign in January as a special goal. Between both departments, they set a goal to sell 500 signs (250 by each department), with all of the profits (about $4 per sign) going toward a fund to purchase an all-weather AED housing, along with an AED, to install at the Bethel school sports complex.

The unit costs $2,000, and would make an AED available to the general public 24/7. It would be placed in a locked box that uses a pin code that a 911 dispatcher can give a caller in an emergency.

A couple weeks into the campaign, Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills went into cardiac arrest on the field, which showed the important of having an AED available.

Since the Hamlin incident, the sports boosters in town agreed to buy a second unit for the lower sports fields. And in February, Newtown Savings Bank has offered to match all funds raised up to $1,000.

As of Feb. 19, 122 signs were sold, which is $610 raised, along with $105 in direct donations. That $715 will be matched by Newtown Savings Bank, putting the departments at $1,430. That’s about $500 shy of the goal.

Orders can be placed at www.bvfdinc.com and www.stonyhillfiredepartment.com