TOLEDO, Ohio — In the aftermath of Damar Hamlin's medical emergency on Monday, Toledo-area parks and youth groups are making sure they're prepared in case someone faces a cardiac event.
And more sports complexes in general are having conversations about adding AEDs.
"I think it's super important," Anthony Wayne Youth Foundation trustee Ben Barrett said. "We saw it save somebody's life on Monday night. It saved somebody's life last summer, Christian Eriksen playing for Denmark, and I'm sure it's saved numerous other lives over the course of the past years."
Barrett said having an AED device is critical for the busy upcoming spring sports season at Blue Creek, which includes soccer, baseball and lacrosse.
"I think on a Saturday out at Blue Creek, it's packed from 10 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m.," he said.
At the same time, Sylvania Recreation officials are making sure they're prepared in case of an emergency.
"With all the things that have come up over the years recently with sudden cardiac arrest, it's extremely important to have one," Sylvania Recreation District Services Director Rob Mahon said.
The Sylvania Recreation District manages Pacesetter Park, which includes more than 100 acres and multiple AED stations. Mahon said the importance of AEDs outweighs the cost and the maintenance.
"There is a substantial amount of costs associated with AEDs, but when you try to weigh the costs to the safety or possibly life of a youth participant, it's really not important at that point," Mahon said. "We want to make sure we've got all our facilities properly equipped."