HENRICO VA - The County of Henrico, Virginia has introduced new lifesaving equipment in its parks with free community CPR training.
Earlier this year, Henrico County Recreation and Parks officials added three outdoor Automated External Defibrillator (AED) enclosures sold by AED TEAM distributor Common Cents EMS Supply. One of the selected locations, Pouncey Tract Park, also provided free community training to empower bystanders to recognize Sudden Cardiac Arrest and provide immediate lifesaving care including hands-only CPR and use of an AED.
Following the successful rollout of the first three AED deployments, Henrico Parks and Recreation has expanded the program to include more than 30 outdoor AED deployments at highly-trafficked parks countywide. AED TEAM distributor Rescue One Training for Life assisted Henrico Parks and Recreation with the expansion of the program.
The outdoor AED enclosures are heated and include a coded lock to reduce the risk of tamper and theft. When a possible cardiac arrest is reported to the 911 center, the dispatcher is able to convey the nearby AED location and the access code to retrieve the lifesaving equipment inside. This system ensures that help is on the way, the nearest AED information is provided to the caller, and that the equipment can be used long before first responders arrive.
We applaud everyone involved in this effort to improve sudden cardiac arrest survival in the community.
