Salisbury, Md. (Monday, February 24, 2014) — The Parsonsburg Volunteer Fire Company has a new device to help patients who suffer cardiac arrest thanks to a $13,000 grant funded by the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms.

The Foundation support enabled the Parsonsburg Volunteer Fire Company to purchase the LUCAS®2 Chest Compression System, a state-of-the-art, high-compression cardiopulmonary resuscitation device — the first such first-responder equipment in Wicomico County.

“When a person is in cardiac arrest, every minute counts to get the heart beating normally again,” said Ryan L. Whittington, vice president and medic for the Parsonsburg Volunteer Fire Company. “Our goal is to protect the lives of the citizens in Parsonsburg and Wicomico County. Thanks to the support of Perdue and the Foundation, the purchase of the LUCAS device is an important step in helping to achieve that goal. With it, we are better prepared to deliver chest compressions consistently and continuously.”

Whittington said an important benefit of the LUCAS device is its ability to perform consistent, quality chest compressions as emergency responders transport a patient to a hospital. Its small size, he said, is also beneficial for use in confined spaces.

“The Parsonsburg Volunteer Fire Company has been a long-time friend and partner of Perdue Farms,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. “With our corporate headquarters in such close proximity and our major AgriBusiness facility located within their service area, the Arthur W Perdue Foundation is honored to provide them with the funds needed to purchase such state- of-the-art equipment.
“We hope this machine never has to be used, but, if it does, we know it could absolutely mean the difference between life and death for an accident or cardiac patient. It is nice to make a grant to something so tangible and so meaningful here on the Eastern Shore,” she said.

About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, to our expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the PERDUE® brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, and continuing with our third generation of leadership with Chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained family owned and family operated. We are the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Through our PERDUE®, HARVESTLAND® and COLEMAN NATURAL® and COLEMAN ORGANIC® food brands; agricultural products and services; and stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, we are working to become the most-trusted name in food and agricultural products. Learn more about Perdue Farms and our Corporate Responsibility Report at www.perduefarms.com.

About the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture.™