TAMPA, Fla. – The City of Tampa’s commitment to improving cardiac emergency preparedness has yielded immediate, life-saving results, following the deployment of 39 new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across the city. The new units were acquired through major grants from the American Heart Association (AHA) and Tampa General Hospital (TGH).
Less than two weeks after installation, one of the newly acquired AEDs was used to save a visitor’s life at the Tampa Convention Center. The incident occurred on August 26, when a cardiac event struck a visitor on the registration floor. An AED, recently installed in that specific location, was quickly deployed.
“Knowing that every minute of non-assistance after a cardiac event decreases the chance of survival by 10%, the new defibrillator played the key role in the life-saving outcome,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “We cannot thank the American Heart Association enough for its major contribution to our efforts to be prepared to save lives.”
The Convention Center had seven existing AEDs, but the new unit was strategically placed in a previously unequipped area, demonstrating the value of the expansion.
The AHA provided a $70,000 grant to fund 37 of the new defibrillators. At the same time, Tampa General Hospital paid for an additional two public-access units located at Water Works Park and Palma Ceia Little League. In total, the City of Tampa now operates 201 AEDs, all connected to the 911 system.
“This life-saving device is one of 10 AEDs generously supported by Tampa General Hospital, helping strengthen the Chain of Survival across our community,” said Courtney Burt, American Heart Association Vice President. “Public-access AEDs play a critical role in improving survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest… a person’s chance of survival can increase dramatically, to as high as 50–70% in some cases.”
The City first began installing defibrillators in its buildings in 2005 under the direction of Safety Training Specialist Larry Frassrand. Now, the 39 new units further expand that network. In case of a cardiac emergency at a public access location, a 911 operator can now provide the caller with an access code for the device.
Thirty-seven of the new AEDs have been installed, with the final two scheduled for installation at the new Fair Oaks Recreation Complex in the coming weeks. The Parks & Recreation Department, which received 25 of the new units, requires all public-facing staffers to be certified in CPR and AED use. Several units are portable, allowing them to be brought to various event locations across the city.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
