Automatic external defibrillator stations could be set up within two weeks at the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex.
Gray's Army Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to raising awareness about and promoting research to prevent sudden cardiac arrests and deaths, particularly among children, teens and young adults, has made significant headway in raising money to make AEDs available at the complex and other ball fields, sports and recreation facilities and parks around Union County.
El Dorado native Michelle Temple, along with husband Dale, founded the Louisiana-based GAF in honor of their 16-year-old son Grayson, who died in December of 2021 due to an undetected cardiac arrhythmia.
Grayson was an athlete and avid outdoorsman who appeared to be the picture of health, his mother said.
Days before Grayson's death, Michelle, an LPN with a background in home health and rehab nursing, said she had noticed that her son began to experience fatigue and was sleeping more than normal.
After a couple of days home from school with what Grayson had called a "stomach bug," Michelle checked his blood pressure and noted that his heart rate was elevated.
A further check and a listen to his heart with a stethoscope detected an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia.
The Temples immediately made an appointment for Grayson to see a pediatric cardiologist.
Four days later, Grayson was admitted directly into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with atrial flutter, a heart rhythm disorder in which the heart's upper chambers -- atria -- beat too fast.
Following three days of life-saving measures, Grayson went into cardiac arrest and, sadly, passed away Dec. 8, 2021.
New program
In early March, Michelle met with members of the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex Commission about launching an AED PAD (publicly accessible defibrillators) initiative in Union County, saying that GAF is working to educate the public to help other families will recognize signs of a heart issue in children and young adults.
Michelle told complex commissioners that the recreation complex on Champagnolle Road was one of the sites GAF had considered for the AED PAD program.
A public meeting was held days later with GAF, El Dorado and Union County municipal officials, local health care professionals, emergency medical workers, coaches, educators, a sales manager for Zoll Medical, a manufacturer of AEDs, and more.
GAF has since held fundraisers, received donations and has been awarded a mini-grant from United Way of Union County to assist with purchasing AEDs.
On Monday, GAF donated an AED to Beech Springs Camp in Smackover.
Temple also announced that the group had raised enough money to purchase and install three AEDs and cabinets at the recreation complex and the devices are expected to be installed within the next two weeks.
Greg Harrison, chairman of the EUCRCC, said one of the AEDs will be placed near baseball and softball fields 1 - 4 on the north side of the complex, another near fields 5 - 8 on the south end of the complex and the third near the soccer fields on the southeast side of the facility.
Harrison said he has also spoken to Temple about scheduling a time to provide training to complex staff, coaches, umpires and other complex patrons on how to use the AEDs.
"They're so easy to use, a 10-year-old can do it," Harrison said, echoing statements Michelle made when she spoke to complex commissioners on March 3.
"Anyone can use it. You don't need medical training. You turn it on and it tells you what to do," she said before conducting a demonstration with an AED that provided automated, voice instructions.
Michelle and Commissioner Keith Smith explained then that citizens who use the AEDs during a medical emergency are covered under the state's Good Samaritan law.
The law says that anyone "who offers emergency care in good faith to a person who is suffering or appears to be suffering from (sudden cardiac arrest) is immune from civil liability."
Michelle noted that if a health care professional identifies himself as such while offering assistance during a medical emergency, he is no longer protected by the Good Samaritan law.
Harrison said the cabinets in which the AEDs will be stored will be temperature-controlled and will come with an alarm to help guard against tampering and theft.
He said the complex commission has discussed placing AEDs at the complex for the past six years but the project was placed on hold as commissioners worked with the city of El Dorado and Union County to implement a two-phase master plan to renovate and expand the complex.
Phase one -- the addition of two soccer fields to the complex and two new baseball and softball fields and the completion of two existing baseball and softball fields -- all on the south end of the complex; and the installation of turf, lighting and fencing on four older fields on the north end of the facility; and two new kiosks, which were donated by Murphy USA, to serve as concession stands for the south fields -- is nearly complete and the EUCRCC is looking ahead to secure funding for phase two.
The second phase calls for a new baseball field, parking lot expansion and improvements and a recreational trail to encircle the complex, similar to the Leslie Ann Darden Memorial Trail that surrounds Lions Club Municipal Golf Course, the Union County Fairgrounds and the El Dorado School District soccer fields on 19th Street.
The 2.25-mile LADMT is a popular spot for walkers, runners and bicyclists.
Harrison said he is grateful for the efforts of GAF and he and Michelle thanked groups and individuals in Union County for their assistance in helping to equip the complex with AEDs.
Harrison said the life-saving devices will help protect patrons and visitors to the complex and GAF and the EUCRCC are hoping to install the AEDs as soon as possible with the busy season in full swing at the facility.
"We want to have a couple of medical professionals out there to properly educate our patrons on how to use the devices," said Harrison.
"If we ever need one for one of the 42,000 residents in Union County who comes to the complex or visitors coming in from out of town, we have a medical device there to help provide support until emergency medical personnel show up," he continued. "This past weekend we had a tournament out there and the parking lot was packed. It would have been difficult to get a medical vehicle back there."
Michelle said GAF still has plenty of work to do.
"Now, on to raising funds to place AEDs in the patrol units of the (El Dorado Police Department) and (Union County Sheriff's Office)," she said.
Health fair
GAF will join Medical Center of South Arkansas at a health fair that is set for 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29, in the St. John Missionary Baptist Church Family Life Center, 1018 Wilson.
The health fair will include free CPR classes, heart screenings, lipid profile screenings and blood sugar checks.
The event is free and open to the public.
People who are interested in participating in the CPR classes and heart screenings must pre-register.
To sign up or for more information, call Angela Roberson, BSN/RN, at 870-863-2047 or send an email to [email protected].
For more information about GAF, call 225-788-0021 or visit www.graysarmyfoundation.org.