Norton Fire Department Celebrates Public AED Units at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at High School Fields

A new outdoor automated external defibrillators (AED) unit was unveiled during a ribbon cutting ceremony at Norton Veterans Memorial Field on Monday, July 7. A total of eight AEDs have been installed throughout the Town of Norton thanks to a donation from Sisters@Heart. (Photo Courtesy Norton Fire Department)

NORTON — Chief Shawn Simmons and the Norton Fire Department are pleased to announce that a ribbon cutting was held at Norton Veterans Memorial Field on Monday, July 7, to celebrate the installation of new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the community, thanks to a generous donation from local nonprofit Sisters@Heart.

Through a collaborative effort between the Norton Fire Department, Norton Public Schools and Norton Parks and Recreation, a total of eight publicly accessible AED units have been installed outdoors in weather-secured boxes at key school and recreational locations. The AEDs are now available for emergency use 24/7.

In addition to the AED installed next to the backstop at Norton Veterans Memorial Field, the new AED locations include:

• Norton High School — concession stand
• Henri A. Yelle Elementary School — back door
• Norton Middle School — soccer fields (near the concession stand)
• Norton Middle School — front corner by gym entrance
• J.C. Solmonese Elementary School — back door near softball field
• Everett Leonard Park — 6 Parker St.
• Lee Burchill Complex Fields — 35 Plain St.

A ninth AED will be installed at a later date at Lions Field, at the intersection of Dean and Harvey streets.

Richard Burns, a North Attleborough firefighter who suffered cardiac arrest and was resuscitated by colleagues on Sept. 11, 2023, cut the ribbon to celebrate the new outdoor AED unit near the backstop at Norton Veterans Memorial Field in back of Norton High School.

Caitlan Kane, co-founder of the North Attleborough-based Sisters@Heart, which strives to improve the lives of those affected by heart disease and stroke, spoke during the ribbon cutting on behalf of her fellow co-founders Lisa Deck and Jamie McHoul-O’Hanlon. To date, the group has donated more than $500,000 to life-saving initiatives, with the ribbon cutting marking the 30th AED that the group has provided to communities, including North Attleborough, Attleborough, Sharon and Norton.

“Because every minute counts, giving communities access to AEDs significantly increases the chances of survival,” Kane said. “At Sisters@Heart, we also lead training sessions and public education events to make ensure community members know where AEDs are located and how to use them. Our mission is simple: empower everyday people with the tools and knowledge to save lives.”

In the event of an emergency, call 911 and dispatchers will provide a code to unlock the AED and send first responders immediately. Once opened, the cabinet will include the device and instructions for people to follow while waiting for first responders.

As part of this effort, Sisters@Heart is seeking community support to sponsor name plates for the front of the AED cabinets. These personalized plates, produced by Ashworth Awards, can be sponsored by businesses or dedicated in memory of a loved one. Each name plate is affixed to the AED cabinet and includes the street address of the AED location, helping to raise visibility and awareness of the program.

Norton Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jennifer O’Neill said the installation of the new AEDs comes after two significant medical incidents occurred outdoors on school property during the last few years requiring the use of an AED that was brought to the outdoor location from indoors.

“Both people were okay and able to be saved because of quick action and quick thinking by the people around them using AEDs we have on site,” Superintendent O’Neill said. “However, people can’t always access inside of the buildings, where they were found. Having these new systems at our fields is really an incredible opportunity for us and for the community of Norton. Hopefully, they won’t be used often. But when they are needed, they will be there and available for those in need.”

Superintendent O’Neill thanked Sisters@Heart and Allyson Drag, member of the school district’s Wellness Committee and vice president for field advocacy at the American Heart Association, for bringing the issue of AEDs to the attention of the community. Dr. O’Neill and Sisters@Heart also thanked state Sen. Paul Feeney for his advocacy and financial support for the initiative.

Norton Fire Chief Shawn Simmons noted that every year more than 350,000 people experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital in the United States, explaining that the victim’s chance for survival drops by about 10% with each minute that goes by. The implementation of CPR and AED-use can more than double the chance of survival for these cardiac arrest patients.

“By placing these AEDs in accessible, high-traffic areas, we are significantly enhancing the safety of our public spaces and ensuring access to this life-saving equipment at a time when every second counts,” said Chief Simmons, calling the addition of the AEDs “great news” for the community. “All of this was made possible through the very kind and generous donation of the Sisters@Heart organization. This organization does great work, and we sincerely thank them for making this donation.”

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Richard Burns, a North Attleborough firefighter who suffered cardiac arrest and was resuscitated by colleagues on Sept. 11, 2023, cut the ribbon to celebrate a new outdoor AED unit near the backstop at Norton Veterans Memorial Field in back of Norton High School. (Photo Courtesy Norton Fire Department)

Norton Fire Chief Shawn Simmons spoke during a ribbon cutting ceremony at Norton Veterans Memorial Field in back of Norton High School to celebrate eight new outdoor AED units that have been installed throughout the Town of Norton, with a ninth unit scheduled to be in place soon. (Photo Courtesy Norton Fire Department)

Norton Fire Chief Shawn Simmons demonstrated how to open the new outdoor AED units that have been installed throughout the Town of Norton, including one at Norton Veterans Memorial Field behind Norton High School. (Courtesy Norton Fire Department)

From left to right, Norton Public Schools Director of Facilities Wade Lizotte, Superintendent Jennifer O’Neil, Fire Chief Shawn Simmons, Deputy Fire Chief Michael Wilson, and Selectman Roger Marsan. (Photo Courtesy Norton Fire Department)

From left to right, nonprofit Sisters@Heart ambassador Richard Burns, co-founder Caitlan Kane and co-founder Jamie O’Hanlon. (Photo Courtesy Norton Fire Department)

To date, eight new outdoor AED units have been installed throughout Norton, including this one next to the backstop at Norton Veterans Memorial Field, with a ninth unit scheduled to be in place soon. (Photo Courtesy Norton Fire Department)