Riverside Fire Department Helps Little League Families Get Access to Potentially Lifesaving Equipment

Published: 7/18/2024

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 18, 2024

           

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Phil Pitchford

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Riverside Fire Department Helps Little League Families Get Access to Potentially Lifesaving Equipment

Partnership between Riverside Fire Department and Riverside Medical Clinic Charitable Foundation gets automated external defibrillators (AEDs) into hands of every Little League in the city

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Riverside families active in Little League baseball now have access to potentially lifesaving healthcare equipment, thanks to a donation from the Riverside Medical Clinic Charitable Foundation (RMCCF) and the City of Riverside Fire Department.

Riverside firefighters and RMCCF staff presented automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to seven local Little Leagues on Monday (7/15) during a “Game Changers” ceremony at Don Jones Park, home of the Pachappa Little League. The event coincided with the championship game of the 2024 Southern California 8-10 Division Softball Tournament.

“The Riverside Fire Department is proud to partner with RMCCF to get this equipment in the hands of our local Little Leagues,” Chief Michael Moore said. “Working together, we can be better prepared as a community for potential cardiac events and improve outcomes when they do occur.”

The donation, part of Riverside Project Heart, ensures that each little league in Riverside has access to the equipment, which can greatly increase a person’s chances of surviving a heart attack or other cardiac event. Each league will arrange CPR and AED training sessions for their boards and coaches.

This effort was made possible by grant funds awarded by Riverside Community Health Foundation, Riverside Men’s Breakfast Forum and RMCCF’s general fund. To donate or for more information, go to RMCcharity.org.

“This has been an amazing partnership to bring these resources to our City,” said Lynda E. Bailey, RMCCF Executive Director. “It is truly a testament to small conversations becoming big ideas.”

This donation improves the safety and well-being of young athletes and spectators by providing lifesaving technology at key locations in the community. The AEDs will be placed in snack bars at league fields and will be available for use in the event of a cardiac emergency.

“Our Fire Department sees every day the importance of quick action in dealing with medical emergencies, including heart attacks,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “I’m proud that our department has gone above and beyond to help better prepare our community through this innovative partnership with RMCCF.”

The leagues, and their home fields, include:

• Arlington Little League – Arlington Heights Sports Complex
• Arlanza Little League – Bryant Park
• La Sierra Little League – La Sierra Park
• Magnolia Center Little League – Shamel Park
• Orangecrest Little league – Orange Terrance Community Park
• Pachappa Little League – Don Jones Park
• Reid Park Little League – Reid Park

AEDs are critical in saving lives during cardiac emergencies. Immediate CPR and early defibrillation with an AED within the first few minutes can more than double a person's chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association.  Nine in 10 cardiac arrest victims who receive a shock from an AED in the first minute live.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, with over 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring each year. A bystander who follows the instruction provided by the AED before emergency medical personnel arrive can increase a person’s survival rate by 2 to 3 times.

About Riverside Project Heart

Since 2021, RMCCF and the Riverside Fire Department have partnered to bring lifesaving methods to Riverside through Riverside Project Heart. This initiative includes PulsePoint, a system that alerts registered responders of nearby cardiac emergencies and informs callers of nearby lifesaving devices, such as an AED. The Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) telecommunicators play a critical role in the cardiac arrest chain of survival, providing timely information and support.

RMCCF has committed to being the sole funding source for PulsePoint for an initial three-year agreement to help save lives within the City of Riverside. To increase the number of CPR-certified PulsePoint responders, RMCCF’s American Heart Association-certified instructors offer HeartSaver CPR/AED Courses to the community. These courses include a comprehensive 4-hour HeartSaver Course covering Adult, Child, and Infant interventions and AHA certification, as well as a brief HeartSaver Introductory Course focusing on adult intervention only. Hands-only CPR classes are also available at educational events throughout the year.

These various CPR offerings are provided free of charge in vulnerable neighborhoods within Riverside. RMCCF is dedicated to raising funds to install 100 AEDs per year in the community, ensuring this valuable resource is available throughout Riverside.

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