| Lifesaving Foundation History |
In 1994, The American Heart Association held a conference on Public Access Defibrillation (PAD), in which it was proclaimed that "Time-to-defibrillation" after onset of sudden cardiac arrest is one of the most critical factors in determining whether a resuscitation effort will be successful. At that time, most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests had been managed exclusively by EMS systems and other professional first-responders. The availability of AEDs to civilian first-responders, however, remained low across the United States.
The Heart Association and others had also correctly observed that in large urban communities, EMS personnel often cannot reach the victim in time to achieve meaningful resuscitation. The Association concluded that provision of AEDs not only to firefighters and other "basic life support" professional first responders, but also more widely to the lay public, would improve survival rates from cardiac arrest. In June of 1995, the Association released a report published in the journal "Circulation", which called for wide distribution of AEDs to the lay public. The St. Louis Fire Department began its PAD program in October, 1997, by placing AEDs on all first-line firefighting equipment, such as pumpers and hook and ladders.
The St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation began its service to the people of St. Louis in 2002, by obtaining a grant from the St. Louis Regional Health Care Corporation for acquisition by the Fire Department of approximately 18 new portable monitor defibrillators to be placed aboard the Department's ambulances. The new devices included state-of-the-art, 12-lead cardiac monitoring capability. Next, in 2004, the Foundation was called upon to assist the Fire Department in further implementation of its PAD program, by raising needed funds through the generosity of the Missouri Foundation for Health in order to acquire new Automated External Defibrillators to replace the older ones on First Line Equipment.
The Lifesaving Foundation is a Missouri nonprofit charitable corporation with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We support the St. Louis Fire Department by helping to fund worthwhile project within the Foundation's twofold mission:
> To promote saving lives of those who live, work in, or visit the City of St. Louis
and
> To protect the health and safety of the professional lifesavers of the Fire Department as they carry out their duties.
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The Lifesaving Foundation was officially organized in 2003 by J. Curtis Engler, and Edwin S. Fryer.
Curt Engler, who is currently serving as President of the organization, had suffered a potentially fatal heart attack in 2003. St. Louis Fire Department first responders used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and when Fire Department Paramedics arrived on the scene, one of the new 12-lead monitor-defibrillators was also used on him. Those interventions saved his life.
Ned Fryer, currently Vice-President, became interested in emergency medicine in the early 1980s when, as the American Red Cross local board chairman, he was asked to organize emergency medical services for what has become the annual Fair St. Louis Independence Day Celebration. He became an EMT in 1985 and a Paramedic in 1999. He works part-time for the Fire Department, and contributes his paycheck to the Lifesaving Foundation.
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Karen Carroll (Secretary) - Karen "KC" founded and is President/CEO of kci enterprises, inc. which is a private equity firm primarily investing in the education and achievement potential of children, the real estate development market and the fashion industry. Currently, the portfolio consists of partnerships in Platinum, LLC, Westmoor Investments, LLC, Carroll Development LLC, four Sylvan Learning Centers and Ace It! Tutoring. KC has long been a business and community leader. She is a popular keynote speaker whose enthusiasm is contagious. She has been the Chair of Old Newsboy's Day and currently on the boards of The Muny, Forest Park Forever, the St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation, and the Missouri Women's Forum, the Alive Magazine Advisory Board and the Spirit of St. Louis Women. Two of her proudest achievements in helping the St. Louis Community are that she was instrumental in bringing the Amber Alert missing child program to St. Louis and founding Outreach St. Louis, an organization that increases awareness resulting in increased funding for non-profits. KC has been recognized with many awards including the Woman of the Year by the National Radio Industry, the YWCA Leadership Award, inclusion in the Top 100 St. Louis Business Leaders, the Top 25 Women Business Leaders and the Woman of Achievement Award. Prior to founding kci enterprises, inc., KC was the Vice President/General Manager of KMOX Radio, the Voice of St. Louis.
J. Curtis Engler (President) - J. Curtis "Curt" Engler has been an inspirational leader in the St. Louis community for a long time. He is the Executive Vice President and Senior Director of Client Relations for Aon Risk Services of Missouri, Inc. and has special expertise in large casualty programs, manufacturing, healthcare and mineral/energy companies' needs. He has lent his business expertise to co-found the St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation, where he is the President, and also to the Samuel Cupples House Foundation, which he co-founded an serve as President. Curt is recognize for identifying community needs and developing a response to meeting those needs. Because of this leadership, he also serve as President of the St. Louis Association for Retarded Citizens and has been a Director on the Rossman School Board, the Whitfield School Board, the Edgewood Children's Center, and Paraquad. He currently is a Director on the Transportation Museum and the Psychoanalytic Institute of St. Louis Boards.
Edwin S. Fryer (Vice President) - Ned has practiced for over thirty-five years as a business lawyer. He has served as first vice chairman of the National Board of Governors of the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. and as a member of its Executive and Biomedical Services Committees. He is chancellor Emeritus of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. He is a Missouri-licensed paramedic (Volunteering with the St. Louis Fire Department), a founding trustee of the St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation, Honorary Chief, St. Louis Fire Department, and a former chairman of the Downtown St. Louis Emergency Preparedness Organization. He holds a gubernatorial appointment to the Missouri State Advisory Council for Emergency Medical Services.
Debra A. Hollingsworth - As AT&T Vice President of External Affairs, Debra manages statewide community engagement, outreach and education. She also serves as chief of staff and directs public affairs functions for the president of AT&T - Missouri. Her primary responsibilities include building third party support for legislative and regulatory initiatives across AT&T, overseeing and leveraging AR&T Foundation grant and charitable giving programs for Missouri, and managing the state budget. Recently Debra was selected by Governor Blunt to chair a new education initiative called the Mathematics, Engineering, Technology and Science Alliance (METS). With the Governor's support, she engaged businesses, educators and policy makers statewide and was then elected chairperson of this important Coalition. Debra has won many awards including being names on of the St. Louis Business Journal's Most Influential St. Louisans and one of the Twenty-Five Most Influential Businesswomen in St. Louis. She is on the boards of the St. Louis Minority Business Council, the University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor's Council, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, Girls Incorporated, the International Institute, the St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation, and is on the Webster University School of Business and Technology Advisory Committee.
Joseph P. Keaveny (Treasurer) - Not-For-Profit entities need to be good stewards of the monies given to them by the community and by foundations. Joseph "Joe" P. Keaveny's board service to the St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation provides the certainty that the managing, monitoring and coordinating of assets is done properly. Joe is the Business Line Risk Manager for US Bank and is responsible for their Private Asset Management risk management projects. He oversees vendor relationships, derivatives and alternative asset monitoring, provides annual investment reviews and ensures Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. As a licensed attorney in Missouri, he also is responsible for drafting policies and procedures for the bank in these areas. His MBA from St. Louis University enables him to look at many sides of issues and is part of the reason he was asked to be on the NASD Board of Arbitrators.
Donna Wilkinson - Donna is president of The Wilkinson Group LLC, a consulting firm specializing in customized services for not-for-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, private enterprise and governmental agencies. Mrs. Wilkinson currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Chairman of the Regional Arts Commission, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Historical Society. She is the former Chair of the Board of Commissioners of the St. Louis Science Center and is a current trustee. She serves on the boards of The Sheldon Arts Foundation, the KFUO Arts Board and is a Vice Chairman of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Trustee Board. She is a member of the Community Advisory Board of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, the Innovate St. Louis Board and the St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation. She is a former member of the Missouri Arts Council. Mrs. Wilkinson has received numerous awards recognizing her accomplishments and contributions to a wide variety of organizations. These awards include being named the Variety Club Woman of the Year, receiving the Legacy Award from Big Brothers/Big Sisters, being honored with the Commitment to the Community Award and recently being recognized by the Wesley House with its Pillar of the Community award.
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| Major Successes of the Lifesaving Foundation |
2002 - receipt of $175,000 grant from St. Louis Regional Health Care Corporation to acquire 12-lead monitor/defibrillators for City Fire Department Ambulances.
2004 - receipt of a $989,861 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health to acquire a full complement of new AEDs for the benefit of the Fire Department's Public Access Defibrillator Program (PAD).
The achievements, to date, of the city-wide PAD program include: placing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in city buildings, replacing old AEDs located on fire equ8ipment, purchasing new AEDs for staff and support vehicles, providing CPR and AED training to city employees, establishing a Community Training Center, and implementing a pilot AED program for the Police Department.
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