Petaluma’s First Public Outdoor 24/7 AED Installed at Leghorn’s Park to Assist with Sudden Cardiac Arrest Emergencies
PETALUMA, Calif., August 28, 2023 — Leghorn’s Park is now “rescue ready” with a newly installed automated external defibrillator (AED) on the premises, led by Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation (Healthy Petaluma) as part of its HeartSafe Community Program.
Funding for the life-saving device and its "save station" was provided by three local rotaries – Petaluma Rotary, Petaluma Valley Rotary and Petaluma Sunrise Rotary – and will be accessible to anyone at any time. The station includes a fan, heater, alarm and security feature that captures a photo once the cabinet is opened to deter theft or vandalism. HeartSafe Community Program Manager Tami Bender has registered the AED device on the PulsePoint app, ensuring that anyone calling 911 with a suspected cardiac emergency will be directed to the AED location from dispatch. The AED will also be maintained by the HeartSafe Community program.
“This AED and its accessibility to the public is the first of its kind in Petaluma,” said Bender. “Cardiac events can happen to anyone, at any age, at any time, and we have seen through our AED and CPR training program that lives are being saved by AEDs in our community – and this is a tremendous feeling. The same AED product was installed at Sonoma Valley High School, and last summer, the AED was used from that cabinet, resulting in a 16-year-old being saved from a cardiac arrest.”
The AED was unveiled at an August 22 event attended by several community partners that provided support and coordination to this effort, including the three area rotaries, City of Petaluma Parks and Recreation, Petaluma Mayor Kevin McDonnell, city council officials, and the fire and police departments. Kristy Brindley, a parent who lost her 16-year-old son to a sudden cardiac arrest and founder of the nonprofit Just1Mike, spoke about the importance of AED accessibility and how vital these life-saving machines can be to youth and teens.
“The three rotary clubs in Petaluma pooled their resources and talent for this community project,” said Katherine Wells, immediate past president of Petaluma Sunrise Rotary. “We are incredibly proud that we could help provide the first public outdoor 24/7 AED in partnership with Healthy Petaluma. We are lucky to have this organization in our community that provides so much support and health programming, as well as one who values partnerships as much as we do.”
Celebrating 10 years in service through Healthy Petaluma, HeartSafe Community provides CPR/AED training, strategic AED installation, AED maintenance and registration, and heart health education. The City of Petaluma has earned an official designation as a HeartSafe City, every Petaluma-area school has an AED installed and is part of the HeartSafe Schools training and maintenance program, and several companies have joined the HeartSafe Businesses program. Click here for more information on CPR or AED trainings and how your organization can become HeartSafe.
About Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation
Formerly the Petaluma Health Care District, Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation is a community-owned and -operated agency comprising a special district and a 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to improving the health and well-being of southern Sonoma County residents. Its vision is a healthier community with equitable access to comprehensive health and wellness services for all. The district has ensured access to local acute care and emergency services and has served southern Sonoma County’s health and wellness needs since 1946. Visit www.healthypetaluma.org for more information.