EMS, the City and the local school district have worked to expand the availability of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across Rye. The devices are used in cases of sudden death cardiac arrest. Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook EMS coordinated the AED deployment as well as additional CPR training across city departments.
“The more people we can empower with the skill set [of AED use and CPR training] in the community, the more likely we are to be able to save someone’s life,” said Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS Administrator Kenny Barton. “When bystander CPR is started quickly, before the arrival of police in EMS, the likelihood of survivability goes up very significantly, with a little bit of effort.”
Many of the new deployments are part of new State requirements in the wake of legislation sponsored by Rye resident and State Assemblyman Steve Otis requiring AED availability at youth sporting events. Two women from Rye Brook, Alice Schoen and Dana Colasante, co-founders of Saving Active Hearts, were also catalysts for the new rules after both were impacted by cases of sudden death cardiac arrest. Colasante’s husband collapsed at a Blind Brook High School game and Schoen’s son collapsed at a basketball game in Pelham. Both were successfully resuscitated.
In addition to the AED deployments, CPR training was completed among these city departments:
- 17 City Hall Staff members certified
- 28 Department of Public Works (DPW) certified
- 25 Rye Fire Department members trained at the Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider level in CPR and First Aid
- 15 Rye Free Reading Room personnel completed CPR and AED awareness training
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) have been deployed across key municipal facilities and public spaces including:
- Rye City Hall: An existing AED unit is housed in an interior wall cabinet.
- Rye Recreation Facilities: Multiple AED units including existing units in indoor cabinets at the Main Building and McDonald House, with the latter relocated to an exterior heated cabinet for increased accessibility.
- Rye Golf Club: Efforts include refreshing existing units, installing new wall cabinets, and supplying new units with heated cabinets at various locations within the club premises, ensuring comprehensive coverage for staff and patrons.
- Rye Boat Basin: An existing AED unit is refurbished and will be housed in a new heated cabinet to withstand outdoor conditions.
- Disbrow Park: A new AED unit is installed in a heated cabinet on the DPW Building, complementing existing safety measures in the area.
- The Rye City School District collaborated with the City to ensure that the districts’ playing fields also had AEDs installed and accessible to the public. This complements the number of district-owned devices available for all school coaches and staff.
Watch this video from the Mayo Clinic on AED use:
