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When Moments Matter ....
Valencia Town Center Invests in Life Saving Technology

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), one of the When used, the AED applies
country's leading medical emergencies and defibrillation therapy, or an electrical charge
causes of death, most often strikes without to the heart - the definitive treatment for
warning. Visited by more than six million SCA. Alarmingly, the U.S. survival rate for
people each year, and as base for over 3500 victims of SCA is only 5 percent, largely
office and retail employees, Valencia Town because !if e-saving treatments do not reach
Center, Santa Clarita Valley's major retail victims in time.
destination recently installed automatic "The American Heart Association says
external defibrillators (AED) to treat victims that each minute from the time of the
of SCA. attack until defibrillation reduces a victim's
Forty Town Center employ- Five Philips Medical Systems chance of survival by 10 percent, making
ees, including Public Safety Heartstream FR2 AEDs are located on this essentially a race against time," said
Superuisor Narcy Caruana
and General Manager each floor in Center Court, one on Town Charlie Gill, General Manager of Valencia
Charlie Gill (top) haue Center Drive and in two Public Safety Town Center. "By equipping the Center
been trained in the use of vehicles that can be deployed for the with defibrillators, we will be able to
the defibrillation deuices timeliest response to an emergency. significantly cut the time it takes to treat
(right) to treat uictims of
cardiac arrest. Additionally, 40 Center employees have victims, thus having an opportunity to
been trained in the use of the devices. save lives. "

University Center Brings
Advanced Degrees to COC

For the Santa C l arita Valley

The last decade has seen Valencia earn bachelor's and master's degrees, and with the concept," he said. "After a while I
emerge as a major industrial and acquire advanced job skills, while studying contacted (COC President-Superintendent)
commercial hub of Southern California as under instructors from partner institutions Dianne Van Hook . . . and she was very
more and more companies discover the without leaving the Santa Clarita Valley. interested because they were already
area's many amenities and relocate to Though not unheard of, the idea is talking to CSU Bakersfield about offering a
Valencia's business centers. visionary, and holds much couple of different subjects at COC." That
As the area and its many promise for businesses conversation led to another trip to
businesses grow, so does the Former Newhall and their employees. It's Houston, this time with Lee, Van Hook,
need for workers with Land Chairman not surprising then that and Ron Gillis, then-president of the COC
advanced degrees and training. Tom Lee one of the men behind Board of Trustees.
Additional education often is Co-Chairing the project is Tom Lee, Lee is serving as co-chair of a capital
means driving outside the the recently retired chair- campaign to raise funds for the University
valley, which forces employees the campaign man and chief executive Center, along with Lou Garasi, chief
to miss work so they can to raise funds officer of Newhall Land executive officer of Gruber Systems.
contend with lengthy commutes for the well-known throughout The college is meeting current
to school. University Center the community for his demand for the program by opening
Since students find it diffi- philanthropic endeavors. an interim center housed in portable
cult to get to school, College of "I've always viewed classrooms. Participating institutions
the Canyons and local business leaders the company's role as very much of build- include Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State
intend to bring school to students in the ing a complete community," Lee said, Northridge, Chapman University, ELS
form of a University Center. The Center explaining his involvement in the Center, Language Centers, Nova Southeastern
would house upper-division, graduate-level which is modeled after one in Houston. University and the University of LaVerne.
and advanced training classes provided by "This just seemed like such a tremendous When the permanent facility opens, it
several major public and private universi- opportunity for our community." will off er programs ranging from
ties. In other words, the University Center Lee first saw a university center during certificates to doctoral degrees from a
would off er students the opportunity to a business trip to Houston. "I was intrigued variety of partner institutions.

The View From Valencia - Page 10