KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis met Gail Alvarez at our Let's Talk event in Lee's Summit. Gail told Megan she is advocating for awareness and additional AEDs around town. Megan followed up with her on Tuesday. Share your story idea with Megan.
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A Lee's Summit woman who survived a sudden cardiac arrest thanks to an automated external defibrillator (AED) is now advocating for more life-saving devices in her community.
Gail Alvarez was on vacation when her life changed in an instant.
"My husband opened up the door and turned around, and I was flat on the ground," Alvarez said.
One moment, she was active and on the go. And the next, she was confined to a hospital bed.
"Here I was in the hospital, and I had just woken up in the ICU," Alvarez said while showing photos from her recovery.
She said the hotel staff's quick action with an AED made all the difference.
"It was scary for everybody, but I was so thankful that the staff there at the hotel had an AED," Alvarez said.
Alvarez had to learn how to walk again.
"Within five days of being out of ICU, I was walking by myself," she said.
The experience has motivated her to advocate for change in her community.
"I'm hoping I can make some changes because of this," Alvarez said.
Dave York, assistant chief of EMS for the Lee's Summit Fire Department, said he shares Alvarez's passion for expanding access to life-saving equipment.
"Share your stories. Your story matters; that makes it personal," he said.
York pushed for a city-funded project to implement the PulsePoint app in Lee's Summit, which helps connect citizen responders to cardiac emergencies quickly.
The Lee's Summit Fire Department is recruiting citizen responders who will receive alerts if they are within a quarter-mile of a cardiac event. The app provides directions, locations of the nearest AEDs, and CPR instructions.
York said the department's response averages four and a half to five minutes.
"We can't be everywhere at once, so every minute matters," York said. "Minutes matter. The earlier you can get CPR going, it buys time."
There are about 200 AEDs across Lee's Summit, a mix of private and public devices.
"The more we have, the better off we're going to be, but the big thing is the ability and willingness to actually grab one and use it," York said.
Alvarez said it is "awesome" to see where AEDs are available on the PulsePoint app, emphasizing the importance of making AED locations known to the public.
More than 560 people in Lee's Summit have registered to help with cardiac events, with about 150 monthly users of the app. It's free to do so.
Alvarez wants people to know that using an AED is not complicated.
"The machine does the work for you. It's so easy," Alvarez said. "This can happen to any person."
York believes there's a need for both more devices and greater public awareness.
"Not only do we need an increase in the numbers of AEDs, but more of an understanding and awareness, and willingness of people being engaged ... spread that message that this does matter," York said.
For those interested in obtaining AEDs, there are grant opportunities available through organizations like Missouri Cares.
Alvarez is grateful for the opportunity to share her story and potentially save other lives.
"I really thank you guys [for] giving me the opportunity to tell my story, to get it out there farther than what I've been able to do," Alvarez said. "... I appreciate you coming out to the community and talking with us and hearing our stories. I really appreciate that, and I'm glad that we get to see the stories."
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