Thanks to a generous donation from DuPage Medical Group, the Naperville Park District recently installed an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) at the Riverwalk Café, located at 441 Aurora Ave. along the Naperville Riverwalk at Rotary Hill.
“According to the American Heart Association there are more than 350,000 Emergency Medical Services-assessed cardiac arrests outside of a hospital setting each year in the US. With the help of CPR and an AED, a victim’s chance of survival can more than double, which is why it is so important for this equipment to be readily available in public places.” said Dennis Fine, Chief Operating Officer for DuPage Medical Group. “While we hope that this equipment never needs to be used, DuPage Medical Group is proud to support the Naperville community by donating an AED to assist in lifesaving measures at Naperville parks”.
The AED is mounted in a highly visible wall unit facing the Millennium Carillon. The unit houses the AED securely, is easily recognizable and includes a call button to connect a user directly to a Public Safety Answering Point. If the dispatcher determines that the user is in need of the AED, they can release the door remotely from the dispatch center, while simultaneously dispatching Fire, EMS, and Police to the scene.
“We are grateful to DuPage Medical Group for their support of this project,” said Park District Executive Director Ray McGury.
Over the past few years, in partnership with DuPage Medical Group and the Naperville Fire Department, similar AED units have been placed in several of the Park District’s large parks, including Nike Sports Complex, Frontier Sports Complex, DuPage River Sports Complex, Commissioners Park and Knoch Park.
“The Riverwalk Café is a perfect location for an AED, easily accessible to the thousands of visitors who attend Last Fling or walk along the Riverwalk,” added McGury.
The Riverwalk Café, formerly the Riverwalk Eatery, opened in June 2016 featuring a spacious patio with a picturesque view and a menu that includes a variety of snack foods, comfort foods, coffee and tea, soft drinks, beer and wine. The Café is open on weekends in April, weather permitting, with a limited menu and will open daily for the season with a full menu beginning Friday, May 5.
About the Naperville Park District
Created in 1966, the Naperville Park District is an independent, municipal agency serving the recreation needs of its residents. An Illinois Distinguished Agency since 1994, the District is one of only 1% of park districts across the country to be nationally accredited through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). The Naperville Park District’s mission is to provide recreation and park experiences that enhance the quality of life for our community, including benefits such as community health, environmental education, social connections, and personal growth. The District maintains and operates more than 2,400 acres with 137 parks and provides more than 1,500 recreational, arts and environmental programs and special events annually. Included within the District’s operations are two championship golf courses, a multitude of playgrounds, trails, athletic courts and sports fields, Fort Hill Activity Center, Knoch Knolls Nature Center, two inline skating and skateboarding facilities, the Millennium Carillon, a paddle boat quarry, historic Centennial Beach, and the beautiful Riverwalk.
About DuPage Medical Group
With more than 600 physicians and in more than 75 locations, DuPage Medical Group is the largest independent, multi-specialty physician group in the Chicago area, providing physician-directed health care focused on quality, efficiency and access. For more information, visit www.dulyhealthandcare.com.