City adds defibrillators to 4 Las Vegas parks

By Kim Passoth

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    LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — The City of Las Vegas is working to save lives when every second counts. They’ve installed automated external defibrillators or AEDs at parks throughout the city that can be used on anyone who goes into cardiac arrest especially kids and adults who suffer a medical emergency while playing sports.

“I think it is a great idea because you never know what may happen… What if it was your kid? My kids?,” Anthony Anenberg a player with Libertad League Soccer told FOX5 Tuesday night.

Soccer player Omar Sanchez shared with FOX5 he had heart surgery as a child and knowing there is now an AED not far from where he is playing is comforting.

“I am very happy to see this in the park,” Sanchez explained.

In May 2012, a soccer player at the Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. An off-duty emergency room doctor and nearby paramedics saved his life. His mom and other soccer moms started a group called Adam’s Heart to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in children and worked with the city to start adding AEDs to sports complexes throughout Las Vegas.

“The AED is never going to let you use it to hurt anyone. It will sense if it needs to shock someone,” revealed Scott Philips, Assistant Chief of EMS for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. Phillips added anyone can use the device in an emergency, you don’t need special training. The machine has a speaker and will guide you through what to do.

“Call 911. Call our people to come respond. Go grab the AED. If it is a person in cardiac arrest begin compressions immediately… Don’t be intimidated. The AED is going to tell you what to do next,” Phillips asked.

Philips also wants everyone to know using an AED during a cardiac incident instead of waiting for paramedics to arrive will help boost chances for survival. The city plans to purchase more of the devices and expand the program to other parks.

Currently, the City of Las Vegas has ten AEDs: Kellogg Zaher sports complex has five, Doc Romeo Park has two, Majestic Park has two and Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex has one.

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