Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, have been added to McKinney-area parks, McKinney Communications and Media Manager Denise Lessard said in an email.

The gist

A total of 13 units have been added to local community parks as well as at sports complexes. The devices are used in the case of sudden cardiac arrest and can be potentially life-saving, Lessard said.

“Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death among athletes, and the availability of AED’s can significantly increase the chances of survival,” she said in an email.

Parks that are now equipped with an AED unit include:
  • Al Ruschhaupt phases 1 and 2
  • The dog park at Bonnie Wenk Park
  • The lacrosse fields at Bonnie Wenk Park
  • Towne Lake Park
  • Grady Littlejohn Baseball & Softball Complex
  • Finch Park
  • The baseball fields at Mouzon Fields
  • The baseball fields at North Park
  • Erwin Park
  • Gabe Nesbitt softball and baseball complexes
The cost


The devices were added through a lease program with Dallas-based company AED123, which provides AED equipment to businesses and organizations, according to its website.

The newly added devices cost the city about $115 per month per unit, totaling about $18,000 each year. AED123 is also responsible for damage, theft and maintenance of the units, a city representative said.

Learn more

For more information about McKinney’s parks, visit www.mckinneytexas.org/114/parks-recreation.


Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect that AED123 is responsible for maintenance.