Defibrillators are irreplaceable when giving first aid to patients affected by heart attack, which is considered the most frequent cause of death among adults. The chance to survive a sudden heart failure is much higher if help is offered quickly. “Automated external defibrillators are devices that help provide first aid by restoring normal heart rhythm with a dose of electric current. They can be used also by non-professionals and are very easy to operate. Once turned on, they advise the user what to do and each instruction is repeated twice. Every person with sudden abnormal heart rhythm must be placed on a hard surface or on the ground and undressed. Defibrillator electrodes need to be attached on the body. The device is able to diagnose the patient and decide whether electricity application is necessary or it navigates the rescuing person to continue with cardiac massage until professional paramedics arrive. Acute myocardial infarction is the most frequent cause of death among people with cardiovascular disorders in Slovakia. High altitudes are not that problematic. It is more about physical activity and the fact that patients with heart diseases often overestimate themselves, mainly when hiking. This can lead to a heart attack or an abnormal heart rhythm. That is why it is mainly the non-professionals who are most important during the first minutes and witness the given situation. Because if these fail to act, do not offer first aid and wait until professional paramedics come, the chance for the patient to be healthy again is rapidly becoming smaller. Providing first aid properly is very important. Sometimes it is enough to press down on the chest and ensure the patient is breathing without problems. This is the key phase. And if there is a useful device nearby, the person´s chance to survive and live normally later is much higher. Non-professional rescuers who are there before us can save human lives and this is crucial,” explained František Majerský, the president of the Slovak Chamber of Paramedics.
“At the moment, one of the defibrillators is provisionally located at the reception of the FIS hotel but will be stored at the hotel entrance so that it is easily approachable. The second device has been placed inside a hallway of the upper cable car station on top of Mt. Lomnický štít. Both spots are properly marked and accessible also for the public. The third defibrillator will be added to Mt. Chopok before the winter season. The devices have been purchased in order to provide first aid which improves the chance to save human lives. We are well aware of the fact that our resorts are used by many clients and it sometimes takes longer for emergency medical help to arrive. The three defibrillators have cost over 4,000 EUR. 25 employees at related facilities in the High Tatras have been trained so far. In future, we plan to buy more devices and train more of our employees so that they could help give first aid to all resort visitors who might need it,” said Dominik Prno, the TMR infrastructure manager in the High Tatras.
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Tatry mountain resorts, a.s. (TMR) is the leader in tourism in Central and Eastern Europe; it owns and operates attractive mountain resorts, amusement parks, restaurant facilities, sports services, shops and hotels. In the Low Tatras TMR owns and operates the resort Jasná Nízke Tatry and hotels Wellness hotel Grand Jasná, Boutique Hotel Tri Studničky, Chalets Jasná De Luxe, Hotel Srdiečko, and Hotel Rotunda. TMR is also the owner of Aquapark Tatralandia, the largest Slovak aquapark with year-round operation, which besides water entertainment includes Tropical Paradise, a special tropical indoor hall with sea water, as well as Fun Park, and accommodation in bungalows and apartments of Holiday Village Tatralandia. In the High Tatras TMR owns and operates the resort Vysoké Tatry with mountain areas of Tatranská Lomnica, Starý Smokovec, and Štrbské Pleso, which TMR co-manages. In the High Tatras TMR also owns hotels Grandhotel Praha Tatranská Lomnica, Grandhotel Starý Smokovec, Hotel FIS Štrbské Pleso and Mountain hotel Hrebienok. TMR also owns a 9.5 % share in Melida, a.s., which leases and operates the resort Špindlerův Mlýn in the Czech Republic. TMR also leases and operates the ski resort Ještěd. In Poland TMR owns a 97% share in the mountain resort Szczyrkowski Ośrodek Narciarski S.A. (SON), a 75% share in a company that owns and operates Silesian Amusement Park (Śląskie Wesołe Miasteczko) and a 7.3% share in an amusement-educational project via the Polish company Korona Ziemi Sp. z.o.o. TMR also owns and leases hotels Slovakia, Kosodrevina, Liptov and Ski&Fun Záhradky a Bungalovy to third parties. By the end of 2017, more than EUR 300 mil. had been invested into development and modernisation of TMR’s resorts. TMR shares are traded on three European stock exchanges – in Bratislava, Prague, and Warsaw.