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“When I was five, my Dad died of a cardiac arrest. He was only 46 years old, and it was the early 1960’s. Portable AED devices hadn’t been invented. I am so honored to be part of the 4 Minute Community program, because of its potential to empower ordinary citizens to save lives. This experience demonstrated how a small group of brave and concerned neighbors, local police, fire, and EMS, can come together seamlessly to give the patient the best chance of survival.”
Case Study | Cumberland County, PA
Community member saves a life through Avive’s 4 Minute Community™ Program in Cumberland County.
A volunteer CARE team member from Cumberland's 4 Minute Community™ Program responded to a 911 cardiac arrest call for a nearby community member who had collapsed. The volunteer quickly arrived with an Avive Connect AED® and successfully resuscitated him before EMS arrived.
When
July, 2024
Where
Cumberland County, PA
AED Source
4 Minute Community™ CARE Team Member
“If the shock wouldn't have been that instantaneous, I definitely wouldn’t be here. It saved my life.”
Lyall Lehman, Cardiac Arrest Survivor
Cumberland County, PA
2 MINUTES
from initial 911 call to AED alert acceptance
2 MINUTES
AED alert acceptance to AED arrival
30 SECONDS
AED arrival to first shock delivered
The Impact of Early Defibrillation on Survival Rates in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests
This March 2025 report published in Resuscitation Plus spotlights the success of Avive’s 4 Minute Community™ Program in Cumberland County, PA. This represents a proof-of-concept for the potential of organized layperson citizen responders to help address low survival from OHCA through the deployment of Avive Connect AEDs in residential areas with trained citizen responders.
4 Minutes to Life
Cumberland County volunteer's swift response saves local community member.
In July 2024, a volunteer CARE Team member from the Cumberland County 4 Minute Community™ Program was dispatched by 911 to assist a community member experiencing a cardiac arrest. The patient had collapsed from Sudden Cardiac Arrest while on a walk and was found by a passing group. They immediately began chest compressions and called 911. Based on the details provided, the telecommunicator activated nearby Avive Connect AED®s, alerting trained citizen volunteers within a one-mile radius.
One volunteer quickly accepted the call for assistance. Within minutes, the volunteer arrived with an Avive Connect AED®, delivered a defibrillation shock, and successfully resuscitated the patient. Emergency medical services arrived shortly thereafter to continue care and transport the survivor.
From the time of the initial 911 call to the delivery of the defibrillation shock, the entire response took just four minutes.
The timeline
