In the event of a cardiac emergency, visitors at Fairfax City’s Draper Drive Park now have more immediate access to potentially life-saving equipment.
A new automated external defibrillator (AED) will be officially unveiled at the 17-acre park at 9797 Beech Drive with a dedication ceremony and community celebration next Tuesday (Aug. 18).
Organized by the City of Fairfax and the Aliver Foundation, a volunteer nonprofit that donated the defibrillator, the event will feature interactive CPR and AED demonstrations led by the City of Fairfax Fire Department, touch-a-truck displays of emergency response vehicles, and a variety of children’s activities.
“Raising awareness of how each of us can respond to sudden cardiac arrests in outdoor situations is critical information,” Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read said in a press release, noting that she has lost family members to sudden cardiac arrest. “We are fortunate to have been chosen for this donation of outdoor AED equipment that will live in Draper Drive Park.”
Founded in January 2024 by Jill Pall, who was resuscitated after experiencing sudden cardiac arrest at a park in New Jersey, the Aliver Foundation is dedicated to raising awareness about the condition, providing AEDs for outdoor recreational sites, and offering resources to survivors and their families.
In just over two years, the nonprofit has helped install nearly 160 outdoor AED equipment bundles at parks and other locations in more than 10 states, per the press release. Each bundle costs $2,500 and includes an outdoor enclosure as well as the defibrillator, which is designed to be clearly visible with bright yellow coloring and functional in all weather.
“Our hope is that this equipment will never need to be used, but if a cardiac emergency happens, bystanders need to be able to spot it quickly and trust that it is protected and ready for use,” Pall said in a statement.
“This equipment is intentionally designed to stand out, protect the AED inside from weather, tampering, and theft, ensure it is actually there when needed, and reinforce the critical first step of calling 911 so emergency responders are dispatched and the AED becomes part of a coordinated rescue response,” she continued.
According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, approximately 356,000 people experience the condition every year, and it’s the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Distinct from a heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating, leading the person to collapse and stop or have trouble breathing.
Survival rates significantly increase when a bystander is able to immediately administer CPR or use an AED, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation says.
