The Town of Chesterton recently announced that the Porter County Health Department (PCHD) will provide a fully equipped automated external defibrillator (AED) to the Chesterton Park Department, under a memorandum of understanding unanimously approved by the Park Board at its meeting on Tuesday, June 3.
According to the Town of Chesterton, Superintendent Tyler McLead told the Park Board, the PCHD has taken point on Porter County’s certification as a Heart Safe Community—a “nationally recognized program to improve cardiac arrest results and increase AED usage among the public”—and has identified Thomas Centennial Park as a “potential location” for the installation of an AED, “given the amount of traffic that goes through the park.”
“AEDs are portable devices designed to analyze heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock to restore the regular rhythm of an individual suffering a sudden cardiac arrest,” the Town of Chesterton said on its Facebook page. “No special training is required to use an AED, as it’s programmed to give simple audio and visual instructions easily understood even by a layperson.”
The Town of Chesterton says AEDs have already been installed at Dogwood Park and Chesterton Park, in secured cabinets which may be accessed by a call to 911 when needed.
McLead is looking to install the AED at the east exterior wall of the Duneland Chamber of Commerce’s offices at the far west end of Thomas Centennial Park, as “it’s accessible, visible and secure because one of our camera hits it.” The AED itself, he added, is “smart monitored and has 24/7 access and readiness, it’s alarmed and lighted, and when accessed an alarm goes off and notifies dispatch.”
“There’s one other useful feature about the AED: When the cabinet door is opened, the device shoots six “rapid-fire” photos; and when the AED is actually removed from the cabinet, it shoots six more,” the Town of Chesterton noted.
The Town of Chesterton says that under the MOU, the Park Department will install the cabinet and ensure that electrical and WiFi service are available; maintain and replace batteries and pads when necessary; and submit a monthly report detailing the number of times the AED was used for training or in an emergency.