Denver PAD Program Takes Off
The Mile High Chapter of the American Red Cross launched Save a Life Denver on Monday, offering 1,000 AEDs at low or no cost to high-use businesses and promising to train 10,000 people annually in CPR and AED use.
Promising to make it one of the largest U.S. public access defibrillation programs, the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter launched Save A Life Denver on Monday to boost sudden cardiac arrest survival rates there. The chapter, Denver Health, and Philips Healthcare are partners in the three-year program, which offers 1,000 AEDs at low or no cost to high-use businesses and promises to train 10,000 people annually in CPR and AED use.
"Save A Life Denver is a unique and worthwhile effort that aims to make AEDs as accessible as fire extinguishers in high-use public buildings," said Charley Shimanski, regional CEO of the American Red Cross. "We expect Save A Life Denver to become a benchmark for future public access defibrillation programs."
The program will distribute Philips HeartStart FRx defibrillators. "Philips is proud to partner with Save A Life Denver to increase access to AEDs that may help save lives. Based on the number of AEDs placed in the community alone, Save A Life Denver will become one of the largest programs of its kind," said Kevin Maguire, general manager of the HeartStart Automated External Defibrillator business for Philips Healthcare.
Denver Health includes the Rocky Mountain Regional Trauma Center, Denver Public Health, Denver's 911 emergency medical response system, the Denver Health Paramedic Division, eight family health centers, 12 school-based health centers, and the Rocky Mountain Center for Medical Response to Terrorism, Mass Casualties and Epidemics.
Any Colorado business or resident may purchase a HeartStart FRx AED at a 47 percent discount from the retail price via the program. Free AEDS are available to businesses headquartered in the city and county of Denver that meet specific criteria for location, number of employees, and daily visitors.