Avive’s 4 Minute Community™ Program: Because It Takes a Community to Save a Life

When someone collapses from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), every second counts. Survival depends on early CPR and rapid access to a defibrillator. But here’s the problem: Over 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home, where public-access AEDs are rarely available.

That’s why, in 2023, Avive launched the 4 Minute City (4MC) Program, an initiative designed to transform how communities respond to cardiac arrest. By strategically placing Avive Connect AED®s in the hands of trained volunteers, law enforcement officers, businesses, schools, and public safety teams, we’ve been able to bridge the gap between collapse and first responder arrival.

The power of community in action.

One of the most powerful examples of this program’s impact comes from Cumberland County, PA, where the community’s commitment to cardiac arrest response is already saving lives.

A local volunteer with the Cardiac Arrest Rapid Engagement (CARE) Team was at home when an alert came through: Someone nearby was in cardiac arrest. Without hesitation, they grabbed their Avive Connect AED® and rushed to the scene. By the time EMS arrived, the patient was revived, alive because a community member was ready, trained, and had the right tools at the right time.

This is exactly what we envisioned when we created this program. But more importantly, this is what happens when a community takes action.

Why we’re becoming the 4 Minute Community™.

At its heart, this program is not centered around cities or counties, it’s about people.

Yes, we work closely with cities and the like, but the true impact comes from the everyday heroes who make this network possible. It’s the school nurse who carries an Avive AED in her office. The police officer who responds to an alert while on patrol. The business owner who keeps an AED behind the counter. And the volunteer, like the one in Cumberland County, who drops everything to save a life.

Saving lives from cardiac arrest isn’t just about deploying technology, it’s about empowering a community to take action when every second matters.

That’s why we’re proud to announce that the 4 Minute City Program is now the 4 Minute Community™ Program.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about geography, it’s about people coming together to save lives.