Capitola Police Department Equips Vehicles with Life-Saving AEDs

Every patrol vehicle in the Capitola Police Department now carries a life-saving automated external defibrillator (AED), a development that underscores the community's commitment to public safety. This initiative, spearheaded by Six Minutes to Live: Santa Cruz, a local organization focused on improving cardiac arrest survival rates, brought together the efforts of Avive, a Bay Area AED manufacturer, and the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce.

Chief Sarah Ryan of the Capitola Police Department expressed the significance of the donation: "Every second matters during a cardiac emergency. By equipping every Capitola Police patrol vehicle with an AED, our officers are better prepared to provide immediate, lifesaving care while waiting for fire and EMS personnel to arrive."

The donation process involved a mix of direct contributions and funding. Avive donated half of the AEDs, while the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce funded the remaining units. These devices, known as Avive Connect AEDs, are the first and only AEDs with 911 integration, offering industry-leading ease of use, remote monitoring, and incident data transfer. The AEDs are designed to be lightweight, durable, and user-friendly, making them ideal for deployment in emergency situations.

Carrie Arnone, CEO of the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the community's unity in addressing this critical issue: "We are proud to support this important effort to help keep our community safe. These AEDs will give our officers another tool to respond when every second matters."

Six Minutes to Live: Santa Cruz, a local non-profit dedicated to reducing preventable deaths from sudden cardiac arrest, coordinated the effort. Hilary Gates, co-founder of Six Minutes to Live, emphasized the importance of rapid intervention: "The science is clear: patients who receive interventions in the first minutes of collapse have much better outcomes. We are grateful for these generous donors who are giving our police officers even more tools to save lives."

Avive Solutions, a company based in Brisbane, California, is known for its innovative AEDs, including the Avive Connect AED, which features 911 integration, remote monitoring, and incident data transfer capabilities. Sameer Jafri, CEO of Avive Solutions, expressed his company's pride in contributing to this community initiative: "We are honored to have played a part in equipping every Capitola police officer with a tool to respond in the critical minutes before additional help arrives."

The Capitola Police Department's new AEDs will enhance the department's ability to provide immediate, effective care in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest. This partnership between the community, the chamber, and AED manufacturers underscores the collaborative effort needed to save lives and demonstrates the tangible benefits of public-private partnerships in public safety.