Photo: Sharon Bachelier, Dennis Buchanan, Kenny Martin, Jeff Whitehorn (CEO, TriStar Summit), Brandon Corley, Mike King, Jeffin Bush and Will Holets gathered as TriStar Summit Medical Center presented automated external defibrillators (AED) to the City of Mt. Juliet.
HERMITAGE, Tenn. (June 26, 2015) — TriStar Summit Medical Center presented automated external defibrillators (AED) systems to the City of Mt. Juliet on June 25, 2015 for two local parks: Robinson Park and Jones Family Park.
Having an AED on-site for quick use if someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a potentially life-saving step until emergency medical services arrive. An AED is a computerized medical device that checks a person’s heart rhythm and – if needed – can be used to shock a person’s heart. The automated system helps a rescuer through the steps of using the AED with voice, text and other visual prompts.
Parks are among the public facilities that now have an AED system in an easily accessible location for use in a cardiac emergency. “Our parks have thousands of visitors each year and host various community activities. At any given time we have children, parents, grandparents and athletic teams at our local parks,” said Kenny Martin, city manager and economic development director, City of Mt. Juliet. “Having an AED at our parks allows us to be in a better position to save a life, as sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any time.”
According to the American Heart Association, SCA is the leading cause of death in the United States. About 360,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital each year.
“As a member of our community who sees the impact of sudden cardiac arrest on a regular basis in our hospital, we certainly recognize the importance of having an AED available in public spaces like our local parks” said Jeff Whitehorn, CEO of TriStar Summit Medical Center. “We are honored to donate these AED systems to the city of Mt. Juliet and the community it is now serving.”
TriStar Summit also donated replacement adult and pediatric pads to support ongoing maintenance needs for the devices.