Improved Safety for our Community

As part of the Park District’s continued effort to provide safe parks and facilities, AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) were recently installed in 10 parks including Lindberg, Taylor, Stevenson, Ridgeland Common, Carroll, Barrie, Longfellow, Fox, Scoville and Maple. The AEDs are installed on exterior walls of bathrooms and buildings. The AEDs are wirelessly connected directly to 911 dispatch. Residents and visitors should look for the AED sign to locate the device in the parks so that in an emergency they can quickly find it.

“The Park District pursued the purchase and installation of the cabinets as a result of a request from a park patron whose son’s life was saved with an AED,” explained Park District Executive Director Jan Arnold. “These same units are also available in all of our Park District facilities as a safety measure for all of our program participants and park visitors. We hope our residents will share this information with family and friends.”

Due to cold temperatures the AEDs will be removed from December through the end of February. Please call 911 during these months.

Why are AEDs important?

AEDs assess the patient’s heart rhythm, judge whether defibrillation is needed, and then administer a shock if needed. Once the AED is activated it will give the user step-by-step instructions. The AED is a ‘smart machine’ making it easy for anyone to use. The machine will guide the user through the process of analyzing the heart’s rhythm and delivering a shock only if needed. Follow the instructions and stay with the patient until help arrives. Users are protected by the Good Samaritan law if they are acting to help a person who is injured. AEDs are proven to double a victim’s chance of survival, regardless of whether or not they are used by professionals or laypersons.

Location Map

You can now see the location for all AEDs in the Park District of Oak Park. Type in the park you are at to find the AED there.

Look for these symbols:

Outdoor AEDs look like:  

Indoor AEDs look like:    

How to Use an AED

Watch this video to learn more about AEDs. The Village of Oak Park Fire Department offers CPR and AED training. Click here to see their schedule