Stouffville Adds 24/7 Outdoor Access to Life-Saving Equipment in Memorial Park
The Town of Stouffville is taking an important step to enhance community safety with the installation of three outdoor SaveStation® automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in Memorial Park. These climate-controlled units provide 24/7 public access to life-saving equipment during cardiac emergencies - building on the Town’s existing indoor AED program.
The initiative was made possible in partnership with local resident Erin da Luz, who lost her 58- year-old father, Ricardo Miguel, to sudden cardiac arrest at home in December 2024. In the months following, Erin completed CPR training and launched a community crowdfunding campaign to help bring accessible AEDs to Memorial Park, ensuring others have immediate access to critical tools when every second matters.
“When I think back to that morning, I remember the helplessness, the frantic fear, and the desperate hope that what I was doing might be enough. I remember wishing that something, anything, could have tipped the odds in his favour,” Erin stated. “This project comes from that feeling. It comes from the hope that if someone else collapses in the park, the people around them will not have to wonder whether help is too far away. A SaveStation® with an AED is right there - visible, accessible, and ready to use - a life could be saved.”
Recognizing the importance of extending cardiac safety outdoors, the Town, along with generous local sponsors, and the friends and family of the da Luz family have funded the installation of the three SaveStation® units located throughout Memorial Park:
- Memorial Skate Park & Pickleball Courts Changerooms/Washrooms
- Latcham Hall near Baseball Diamonds
- Memorial Park Playground Washrooms
“Expanding access to AEDs in our outdoor spaces is a meaningful step toward a safer, more prepared community,” said Stouffville Mayor, Iain Lovatt. “This initiative reflects what makes Stouffville special, people showing up for one another. Through Erin’s leadership and the support of our community, we’re creating spaces where help is always within reach when it matters most.”
All three SaveStations® defibrillators will be operational in the coming weeks.