Starting Hearts, a local nonprofit and leading advocate for community cardiac emergency preparedness, announced the launch of its innovative "Adopt a Defib" program throughout Eagle County. The program allows local businesses, families, and individuals to sponsor Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in high-traffic community locations while receiving professional recognition for their life-saving contribution.
"We're excited to offer Eagle County businesses and residents a meaningful way to contribute to community safety while also gaining valuable recognition," said Alan Himelfarb, Executive Director at Starting Hearts. "This program provides crucial care and maintenance while ensuring these vital devices are always ready when someone's life depends on it."
Program Benefits and Structure
For an annual investment starting at $250 per year, program sponsors receive comprehensive AED adoption services including:
- 24/7/365 monitoring and maintenance of their sponsored AED unit
- Professional recognition with logo prominently displaying the sponsor's name or business on the AED cabinet
- Complete battery and electrode pad replacement as needed
- Official adoption certificate recognizing their community contribution
- Choice of locations, including high visibility/high foot traffic sites
Highly trafficked locations will provide additional exposure to tens of thousands of citizens and visitors at an additional cost.
The program is designed to appeal to various community stakeholders, including local businesses seeking marketing exposure, families wishing to create memorial tributes, and individuals passionate about community safety.
Addressing Critical Community Need
According to the American Heart Association, approximately 400,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals each year in the United States. Immediate access to defibrillation can increase survival rates by up to 70%, making community-based AED programs essential for saving lives.
"Eagle County's unique combination of year-round residents and millions of annual visitors creates a special responsibility for emergency preparedness," explained Himelfarb. "Our Adopt a Defib program ensures that AED technology is not only available but properly maintained and strategically located where it can make the biggest impact."
Community Response and Implementation
Starting Hearts will work directly with sponsors to identify optimal AED placement locations based on foot traffic, accessibility, and community need. The organization handles all aspects of installation, maintenance, and monitoring, ensuring sponsors can focus on the community recognition benefits while Starting Hearts manages the technical requirements.
Local businesses have already expressed strong interest in the program, recognizing both the community service opportunity and the marketing value of having their name associated with life-saving technology in prominent community locations.
Getting Involved
Businesses and community members interested in participating in the Adopt a Defib program can contact Starting Hearts to review available locations and begin the adoption process. With location selection operating on a first-come, first-served basis, early participation is encouraged to secure preferred high-visibility placements.
