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CAROLINE COUNTY – A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on November 13 at both North Caroline High School and Colonel Richardson High School to celebrate the installation of two new SaveStations – temperature-controlled outdoor enclosures housing life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). The stations, located in each school’s sports stadium, were provided to the schools as part of a partnership between Caroline County Emergency Services and the Basic Life Support Committee. Their goal is to improve public access to emergency medical tools.
Attending the ceremonies were County Commissioner Frank Bartz, Superintendent Dr. Derek Simmons, school administrators, Basic Life Support Enhancement Committee Chair Chrissy Bartz, Kathy Jo (KJ) Marvel and Mark Sheridan from Caroline County Emergency Services, and other stakeholders.
SaveStations are designed to provide public, 24/7 access to AEDs in accessible outdoor locations. They are equipped with defibrillators, as well as communication and monitoring systems that ensure the equipment is always ready for use. As Marvel explained, “Athletic fields host events and practices where intense physical activity can trigger sudden cardiac arrest in seemingly healthy individuals of all ages. SaveStations ensure an AED is readily accessible to provide a life-saving shock within minutes of the event.”
Marvel noted that after a cardiac arrest, every minute without defibrillation decreases a victim’s chances of survival by about 10%. With an on-site AED, survival rates can increase by as much as 75%. Marvel emphasized that these devices aren’t just for athletes, they can also save the lives of coaches, spectators, or anyone who experiences a cardiac event during games or community gatherings. Dr. Simmons added that stadiums are not just used for sports but for gatherings such as graduations, pep rallies, and community events, where an AED could come in handy in case of an emergency.
The installation of the high school SaveStations is part of a broader countywide effort known as the #CarolineCARES campaign, a collaboration between Caroline County Recreation and Parks and the Department of Emergency Services. The goal is to place AED-equipped SaveStations in busy public areas, including parks, playgrounds, and now school stadiums.
According to Marvel, the idea for the project took shape in 2023 after NFL player Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse brought national attention to cardiac emergencies in sports. “After that incident, Rec and Parks Director Jamie Beechey came to talk to me about what we could do to put public access AEDs out in all county parks where large groups of people may gather,” she said. “I suggested the SaveStation with the CR2 AED because that is what surrounding counties had already done. The Commissioners supported the idea, and Rec & Parks are installing 10 SaveStations across the county. They have five in now and five more to place.”
As that work progressed, the Basic Life Support Enhancement Committee identified another gap: athletic stadiums at the county’s two public high schools had no readily accessible AEDs. Chrissy Bartz, committee chair and Director of Community Based Programs for Choptank Community Health, reached out to the Board of Education to offer funding for the installations. “Caroline County Public Schools supported the installation, and the BLS Enhancement Committee is excited about the opportunity to partner with other organizations to place AEDs in locations where citizens gather and play,” Bartz said.
Funding for the school SaveStations came from the BLS Enhancement Committee, with Caroline County Emergency Services responsible for ongoing maintenance and supply monitoring.
“The partnership with them is fantastic for us,” Simmons said, “From a safety standpoint, time is of the essence. These devices provide access to something critical for saving lives that we would never be able to do on our own. Not just for our student athletes, but for all of our community members…Knowing it’s here, it’s a good peace of mind. You hope you never have to use it, but if you do, it’s there.”
Marvel added that the ribbon-cutting not only recognized the new equipment but also aimed to raise awareness of the SaveStation location. “We wanted to officially mark the installation and public accessibility of this important life-saving equipment…It also generates awareness about the importance of bystander interventions like early access CPR and defibrillation in sudden cardiac arrest,” she said.
