By Sarah Kuper
Jon Seale, CEO of Birmingham-based Cardiac Solutions, has a goal.
“As frequently as you see a fire extinguisher in a building, you should see an (automated external defibrillator),” he said.
Now, after signing a 10-year partnership with the city of Homewood, Seale is closer to seeing his company’s mission accomplished in his hometown.
Homewood is the first city in Alabama to have a public access defibrillator program. The program entails placing user-friendly defibrillators in public buildings and spaces so that if someone collapses due to a cardiac event, aid can be administered while emergency responders are on the way, instead of waiting until they arrive.
The program also makes a smartphone app that will tell the public where the defibrillators are located around town.
Homewood Mayor Scott McBrayer said implementing the program is just another service the City Council wants to provide for its community.
“This is one of those things you want to have and pray you never have to use. I commend the City Council for being forward thinking. I believe this is another amenity we’ve been able to offer to make Homewood even safer not only for those who live and work in our city, but for our visitors as well.”
For Seale, the partnership is a result of his passion for saving lives.
His company, Cardiac Solutions, began in Birmingham but now has national and international clients.
Seale said many large corporations are seeing the importance of having these devices around, including Alabama companies such as Regions Bank and EBSCO.
“When someone is having a cardiac event, it can be a chaotic, stressful and emotional scene and the last thing you want is to be questioning yourself as you administer aid,” he said. “These devices walk you through with voice instructions; they will let you know if you are going too fast or too slow.”
Though the devices have step by step instructions, Seale’s company still offers training on the devices to at least 10 percent of employees at a given workplace.
Before leading the way at Cardiac Solutions, Seale worked in the medical device industry, but he felt a call to focus on serving the public by spreading awareness about the need for AEDs in public places and businesses.
“It seems instead of being proactive about cardiac emergencies, people tend to be reactive. Supplying AEDs is one way to change that,” he said.
Part of Seale’s passion with Cardiac Solutions is to provide clients with a full-service solution, meaning his business includes employee training, device maintenance and custom plans.
“We design, implement and maintain,” he said. “A lot of companies will sell a box and move on. We want to make a difference.”
Seale said the devices already are saving lives in the Over the Mountain area with a successful resuscitation a few weeks ago at Greystone Country Club.
Seale said he is excited about the partnership with Homewood, but he doesn’t feel his work stops there.
“We will continue to knock on doors here in Birmingham and all over America to talk to businesses about the importance of saving a life,” he said.
Seale said he is seeing more and more organizations recognizing the importance and effectiveness of these devices; sales of AEDs increased 76 percent from 2015 to 2016.
He credits prayer and God’s handiwork in the success of his business.
“What other job besides being a doctor or nurse can you wake up and know you are saving lives?”
