Atlantic Health System’s Project Heartbeat donated AEDs to community organizations in need
Included life-saving CPR & AED training
NEW JERSEY – Atlantic Health System announced that through its Project Heartbeat program, it has donated five automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) life-saving skills to community organizations in need.
Instructors from Atlantic Mobile Health led the CPR training for members of these groups that included how to use AEDs — portable devices that deliver an electric shock to get a heart beating normally after a cardiac event.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and through Project Heartbeat, more community members will be able to confidently take appropriate action if they witness a cardiac emergency.
The five organizations in the region that received the AEDs and training are:
- Warren County Habitat for Humanity, Washington
- Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs, Dover
- Interfaith Food Pantry Network, Morris Plains
- The Academy of our Lady of Peace, New Providence
- Temple Beth Tikvah, Wayne
Project Heartbeat was launched in 2017 at Morristown Medical Center, home to the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute. The ongoing program is made possible through the generosity and partnership of the John T. Babbitt Foundation whose mission is to distribute AEDs to communities, as well as Foundation for Morristown Medical Center donors.
Linda Gillam, MD, MPH, FACC, the Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine, Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Service Line for Atlantic Health System, and Professor of Medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University said, “We can all be first responders by learning CPR and understanding how to apply an AED in a cardiac emergency. When a person receives immediate medical treatment during a cardiac event, they are far more likely to have a better outcome. We are thrilled that we can bring CPR and AED training to our community.”
High-profile individuals who have suffered a cardiovascular emergency have brought increased media attention to sudden cardiac arrest and cardiac disease overall. Matthew Martinez, MD Director of Morristown Medical Center’s Sports Cardiology program and the Chanin T. Mast Center for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, continues to play a key role in increasing awareness, educating the public and encouraging CPR training, including Project Heartbeat.
Earlier this year, Atlantic Health System also partnered with the NY Jets to offer CPR and AED education sessions to 400 youth football coaches in New Jersey.
