Ed Kosiec, a survivor of sudden cardiac arrest, knows firsthand that every second matters when someone’s heart stops.
Kosiec, who created the Florida-based nonprofit Every Second Counts CPR, said too often, bystanders can’t make the most of those precious seconds when they don’t have necessary tools like automated external defibrillators, or AEDs.
The devices, which use an electric shock to help restart a person’s heart, are often locked away in buildings that aren’t open to the public or are inaccessible outside of regular business hours.
Kosiec was saved by a Florida Chick-fil-A worker who used CPR to save his life when he collapsed in the restaurant in 2019, according to a biography posted to his nonprofit’s website.
Kosiec joined Pittsburgh officials and other partners Wednesday to unveil the city’s first outdoor AED at Frankie Pace Park, which links the Hill District and Downtown. The device will be available 24 hours a day.
“This lifesaving equipment will now be available right here in Frankie Pace Park, highly visible, protected and available 24 hours a day,” EMS Chief Amera Gilchrist said, standing before the device, which is stored in a white-and-red display case equipped with an alarm that blares when the AED is removed.
Deb Hennig, co-founder of SaveStation, demonstrated during a Wednesday news conference how to remove the green AED box from its case. The machine’s automated voice will urge users to remain calm and call 911 before providing directions to use the device.
The equipment was donated by Massachusetts-based ZOLL Medical, Ontario-based SaveStation and Every Second Counts CPR.
ZOLL AEDs sell online for around $2,000.
“We’re now adding resources to the public so that when there are those critical seconds, you have the access to save someone’s life,” Mayor Corey O’Connor said.
The defibrillator marks the first publicly accessible outdoor AED unit in the city, officials said. Dr. Leonard Weiss, who serves as medical director for the city’s Department of Public Safety, said he hopes to see the devices installed all throughout the city and its parks.
Officials touted the new AED as a next step in the Hill District’s long legacy of pioneering medical care. About 60 years, Freedom House Ambulance Service — the nation’s first professional paramedic unit — launched in the neighborhood.
John Moon, a pioneering member of Freedom House, said Freedom House was founded by people looking to help an underserved community get medical help before they got to a hospital.
“Nearly 60 years ago, Freedom House helped redefine emergency medical care by proving that lifesaving treatment could begin long before someone reached the hospital,” said Lori Peters, a spokeswoman for ZOLL Medical. “Today, we’re building on that same idea, empowering everyday people to take action before first responders arrive.