NORTH CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, November 7, 2021 — The City of North Charleston, AED Team, North Charleston Fire Department, and the Lowcountry Resuscitation Alliance joined forces to install a public Automated External Defibrillator (AED) with weatherproof box at Riverfront Park. AEDs are medical devices designed to provide an electrical shock to a person who is in cardiac arrest. According to American Heart Association statistics, if an AED is used within the first few minutes of a cardiac event, the victim may be up to three times as likely to survive.
“The installation of this AED in Riverfront Park is another step in our continuing effort to be prepared when an emergency situation arises. This device not only improves the safety of the citizens and visitors, but also spreads awareness about the importance of CPR training for bystanders.” says Fire Chief Gregory Bulanow. This collaboration is part of a local effort to increase the accessibility of AEDs in the public so an individual in sudden cardiac arrest can be shocked within minutes. The enclosure was donated by AED Team to support public access AEDs in the community. Richard Shok, owner of AED Team, said “We are excited that North Charleston has taken steps to prepare the community for cardiac arrest emergencies. While we hope that the equipment never needs to be used, it is comforting to know that it is available and ready.”
Charleston-based AED Team focuses on strategic placement of lifesaving equipment in the community – where it is bound to have the greatest impact on victims of sudden cardiac arrest occurring in public settings. The AED enclosure ensures that emergency equipment is available when it is needed and that the 911 system has been activated and is responding whenever an AED is deployed for use. North Charleston joins over 50 communities that have incorporated outdoor emergency equipment into their response plans.
The Lowcountry Resuscitation Alliance is a nonprofit organization with members from emergency medicine, EMS, fire departments, and CPR training agencies. The mission of the Lowcountry Resuscitation Alliance is to optimize the regional cardiac arrest chain of survival through collaboration, professional development, and community engagement. Doctor David French, president of the Lowcountry Resuscitation Alliance, says “Bystander CPR and AED use are critical for the survival of a cardiac arrest victim. Increasing bystander CPR training and the public availability of AEDs is at the core of our mission.”
For additional fire safety information, follow North Charleston Fire Department on the NorthCharleston.org website, Facebook, Twitter, NextDoor, and Instagram.
Contact: Deputy Chief Stephanie Julazadeh
Phone: (843) 740-2616, (843) 494-3804
E-mail: sjulazadeh@northcharleston.org