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Sterling Heights awards survival coin after AED use at senior center pickleball game; fire chief touts AED program gains
Summary
The Sterling Heights Fire Department presented its 24th survival coin to a man who suffered cardiac arrest while playing pickleball at the Senior Center; bystander CPR and on-site AED use restored his heartbeat. Chief Kevin Edmond highlighted higher public AED use and registry reporting in the city.
Sterling Heights Fire Chief Kevin Edmond presented the department’s 24th survival coin May 6 to Ronald (last name not given), a man who collapsed during a February pickleball game at the Sterling Heights Senior Center and survived after bystanders used the facility’s automated external defibrillator (AED) and provided CPR.
Chief Edmond said the occupant lost a pulse on Feb. 8 while playing pickleball and fellow players and Parks & Recreation staff called 911 and retrieved the Senior Center AED. "After administration of a single shock, Ron’s heartbeat was restored," Edmond said. The patient was transported to the hospital and later underwent heart surgery.
The fire department recognized civilian rescuers — Bill Albrecht, Mark Bayer, Cindy Bayer (who retrieved and deployed the AED) and Shantanu — with civilian awards and department challenge points. Ron told council that his doctor credited "your pickleball friends" with saving his life and that he had returned to play a few weeks earlier on medical advice.
Why it mattered: Chief Edmond used the event to highlight the city’s AED deployment and training program. He said Sterling Heights’ public AED use increased from 0% in 2020 to 22% by 2022 in the cardiac arrest registry that fire departments use to track outcomes. The chief urged continued investment in AED placement and training and thanked council for support of the program.
Council reaction: Members praised the quick actions of bystanders and city staff and underscored plans to expand AED availability in parks. Councilman Radke noted plans discussed during the budget process to place more AEDs outdoors in parks and called the event an example of community preparedness.
Outcome: Council presented awards and acknowledged the lifesaving actions. No formal policy change was proposed at the meeting, but council and staff reiterated interest in additional AED placement in public areas.
