Just four minutes is the difference between life and death when a person goes into cardiac arrest.
This year alone, fire officials say there have been 21 non-traumatic cardiac arrests in Paso Robles and only two survivors. Now, thanks to the JUSTIN Community Grant Program, two 24-hour AEDs are available at Centennial Park and Barney Schwartz Park.
“In Paso Robles, we've always had the challenge of AEDs not being available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," said Capt. John Prickett of Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services. "They've always been locked in our city buildings after 5 p.m., which makes them virtually useless.”
For the third consecutive year, the Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services are the recipients of the Justin Community Grant, and for the second year are using the $200,000 to install 24/7 defibrillators that give step-by-step instructions in both English and Spanish.
“JUSTIN annually has a community grants program where we give $200,000 to local non-profits from Santa Margarita all the way to San Miguel,” said Molly Scott, the senior director of grower and community relations at JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery.
San Luis Obispo County saw 132 cardiac arrests county-wide in 2023. Three happened with a bystander next to an AED. Of those three, two survived and made it back to the hospital.
“We're seeing it in younger and younger populations," said Capt. Prickett. "We've had NFL stars that have gone down in during the limelight in the NFL games. So we've had the biggest loser workout guru that actually went into cardiac arrest and they were both saved by AEDs. So it's a proven technology. It works well. It's all a matter of time.”
SaveHeart’s technology ensures these outdoor defibrillators can withstand the daily elements of being outside like humidity or storms.
“The quicker you can get someone to a defibrillator, to an assisted technique such as this, or to assist in the defibrillation of someone who's had a cardiac event," said Brendan Fritzsche, a representative with SaveHeart, a company offering AED products and other life-saving technology. "The faster that can happen before emergency services arrive, the more exponential the chances of success and survival are for the patient.”
According to Fritzche, emergency services are notified as soon as the cabinet door opens, but Prickett says you still need to dial 911.
Prickett said the biggest factor in saving someone going into cardiac arrest is accessibility. With 24-hour defibrillators now located in three locations in Paso Robles, the fire and emergency services department hopes this will help increase the survival rate.
