Farmers Market on Broadway 2021. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — Improved safety features are coming to the Green Bay Farmers’ Market on Broadway this summer.
On Broadway, Inc. was one of the recipients of AARP Wisconsin’s “Small Dollar, Big Impact” grant.
Betsy Sorensen, Special Events Manager for On Broadway, Inc., submitted the grant proposal. She said the $1 thousand grant will cover most of the cost of a portable Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Community donations, other possible grants, and the group’s event budgets will pay for any additional equipment needed, as well as training for staff and core volunteers.
About 8-10 people from On Broadway’s event staff will be trained in the next few months on CPR and how to use the AED. All of those trained individuals are at mostly every market, and are located throughout the market.
On Broadway plans to have the AED purchased and ready for use by the first Farmers’ Market on Broadway of the season on May 22. It will be located near the center of the market at the info tent.
“The Farmers’ Market on Broadway is a Green Bay community staple every year from May through September,” Sorensen said. “As our organization preps for the 21st year of the market, we are taking steps to make our events as inclusive and accessible as possible. The market serves over 200,000 people each season. In order to strengthen our safety plans, our team has decided to purchase an AED machine to have on site.”
The Farmers’ Market is an outdoor event that requires a lot of physical activity in the summer heat, Sorensen explained. About half of shoppers are over age 50 and at a higher risk for health issues and reactions to heat, air pollution, and crowds.
“In the event of an emergency, we secure routes for emergency vehicles to enter the event, but there are still potential obstacles that could take time to maneuver. Having an AED machine on site for event staff to use immediately could save lives,” she said.
On Broadway, Inc. has received feedback from the public about improving accessibility at its events, and the group says they are committed to making all its events more welcoming, inclusive, accessible, and safer for all ages. Last year an elderly man suffered cardiac arrest while crossing the street into the market. By coincidence, he was crossing with someone who worked in nursing who was able to start CPR until the ambulance arrived.
“Had that not been the case, market staff would not have been prepared to help the man and he wouldn’t have survived,” Sorensen said. “With a national average of a nine-minute ambulance arrival time, it’s imperative that our market staff be equipped to manage emergency health situations when they arise. Having a robust emergency response plan, which would include an AED, would help put our event attendees at ease.”
Darrin Wasniewski, Associate State Director of Community Outreach for AARP Wisconsin, said, “It is great to see community organizations like On Broadway, Inc. draw meaningful information from resources such as the AARP Disaster Resilience Toolkit. I’m encouraged to see them proactively review their special event operations to improve visitor safety at the Farmers’ Market On Broadway.”
Sorensen said On Broadway is thankful for the grant, and that AARP recognizes the importance of prioritizing safety at events.
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