In a community-driven push to enhance the safety protocols in public spaces, several towns in Johnston County, along with community recreation groups, have taken a significant step forward by installing automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at their ballfields. The initiative is made possible through a partnership with Friends of Johnston County Parks, which has awarded grants to specific towns and associations, as laid out in a social media post from the Johnston County Government.
Recipients of these grants include the Town of Pine Level, the McGee's Crossroads Athletic Association, and a joint effort by the Town of Wilson's Mills and the Clayton Rugby Club. Pine Level is deploying two AEDs at Sam Godwin Park, while the McGee's Crossroads Athletic Association will station theirs at the middle school and potentially move it to their fields on N.C. 50 as needed. The Wilson's Mills-Clayton Rugby partnership is set to place their life-saving device at Phillips R. Wright Community Park.
Ongoing incidents in the area have underscored the importance of having AEDs readily accessible. "Recently, a student at North Johnston Middle School was saved because of the quick action of training staff and their use of CPR and the school's AED," said Josh Holloman, deputy director of Johnston County Emergency Services, in the county's announcement. He added, referencing another near-tragedy turned miracle, "Even more recently, a Cleveland High School football player was resuscitated after going into cardiac arrest while playing. All this was due in part to the early access to CPR and an AED," as mentioned on the Johnston County Government post.
The benefits of having AEDs in places frequented by the active community cannot be understated. "Because of the active nature of people at parks, trails and ballfields, the risk for sudden cardiac arrest is increased for all ages," Holloman stated on the Johnston County Government, emphasizing the elevated risk such locations present. Echoing this sentiment, Ted Hardy, president of the Clayton Rugby Football Club, hailed the initiative, saying, "Having immediate access to lifesaving equipment is critical at any public facility, especially one that hosts youth and adult sports, community gatherings, and large events." Johnston County Emergency Medical Services has committed to training coaches and volunteers in AED usage, bolstering the community's safety net.
The grants for these AEDs are matched dollar-for-dollar by the recipients, with each unit costing about $2,000. Such funding is courtesy of the Winston Family Foundation, which provided the Friends group with $50,000 for various projects, including this life-preserving initiative. An additional grant round is anticipated in the spring.
