Staff report
The Christ Hospital and St. Elizabeth Healthcare are partnering on a major effort that will put lifesaving AED devices in all sheriff vehicles throughout Northern Kentucky.
An AED — Automated External Defibrillator — is a portable devise that allows first responders on the scene of a cardiac event. It can revive someone from sudden cardiac arrest. Treatment is needed immediately to prevent death. AED’s increases the survival rate from 10% to 40%, according to data.
The Christ Hospital Health Network and St. Elizabeth Healthcare hosted a press conference Tuesday to announce this news phase of Christ’s Project Heart ReStart in Northern Kentucky. It will be held at 1 p.m. at the Florence Nature Park Event Center.
Speakers included:
• Debbie Hayes/President & CEO The Christ Hospital Health Network,
• Garren Colvin/President & CEO St. Elizabeth Healthcare,
• Kim Moser/Kentucky State Rep. 64th District,
• Jeff Mallery/Chief of Police Florence Police Department,
• Mark Peters/Vice President Avive Solutions, Inc.,
• Josh Vogel/Rotary Club of Cincinnati, and
• Michael Constantino/Kenton County Rotary Club.
The Phase III press conference will announce Project Heart ReStart’s expansion into Northern Kentucky, in partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare, initial donations as well as goals.
All of this work began after the world watched Damar Hamlin collapse from a cardiac arrest during the Monday Night Football game back in January 2023. Since then, Project Heart ReStart has worked tirelessly towards a simple goal: to prevent unnecessary cardiac deaths.
In Phase I of Project Heart ReStart, the committee, along with Rotary Club of Cincinnati, Zoll, Cintas, Hamilton County Commissioners, all Cincinnati-based hospital systems and community donors, raised $260,000 to purchase 130 AEDs for all deputy cruisers for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
Phase II saw the Project Heart ReStart committee raise $200,000 to purchase 100 AEDs for vehicles across 26 additional law enforcement agencies across Hamilton County making it the first ‘AED Ready County’ in the country.
In total, Project Heart ReStart has raised $460,000 to purchase 230 AEDs.
Having an AED for first responders on the scene of a cardiac event increases the survival rate from 10% to 40%. The mission of Project Heart ReStart is to equip all sheriff’s patrol cars with an AED, provide CPR and AED training for the deputies, and beyond.