First Life Saved Through Avive’s 4 Minute City Program in Cumberland County 

San Francisco, CA,– October 29, 2024 – On July 16, 2024, a life-saving event unfolded when a trained citizen volunteer from the Cumberland 4 Minute City Program was dispatched by 911 to assist a community member experiencing a cardiac arrest emergency. Within minutes, the volunteer arrived and used an Avive Connect AED to deliver a defibrillation shock, successfully resuscitating the victim. 

Cumberland County, PA, is among the first communities in the U.S. to implement Avive’s 4 Minute City Program, an initiative aimed at transforming responses to cardiac emergencies. This recent incident and successful resuscitation underscore the urgent need for immediate intervention during such crises and demonstrate the program’s potential to improve outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests nationwide.

A Milestone in Cardiac Arrest Care

In partnership with Avive Solutions, Inc., the Peyton Walker Foundation, the Emergency Health Services Federation, and the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety, Cumberland County is one of the first communities nationwide to launch the 4 Minute City Program. 

The significance of this program is emphasized by the July 16 save, where rapid action by community volunteers and first responders using Avive Connect AEDs helped resuscitate a local resident suffering from SCA. This event marks a significant milestone in community-based cardiac care and highlights the life-saving potential of the program.

What Is the 4 Minute Community Program?

The 4 Minute City Program seeks to bridge the crucial gap between a cardiac arrest and the arrival of professional emergency responders. By leveraging historical data on Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in specific areas, the program equips CPR-trained citizen volunteers with Avive Connect AEDs. These volunteers, known as Cardiac Arrest Rapid Engagement (CARE) team members, can be alerted by 911 and dispatched to nearby emergencies via a mapping system. 

Cumberland 4 Minute City CARE Team member Alan Wirt explains his interest in volunteering with the program saying, “When I was five, my Dad died of a heart attack. 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 City program, because of its potential to empower ordinary citizens to save lives. Maybe to prevent another child somewhere from losing a parent. This experience demonstrated how a small group of brave and concerned neighbors (who discovered the collapsed individual, and started chest compressions) plus the Avive Care Team, local police, fire, and EMS, can come together seamlessly to give the patient the best chance of survival.”

Unlike traditional AEDs, the Avive Connect AED leverages its REALConnect™ Services to enable Intelligent Response technology and transform emergency cardiac care. Intelligent Response empowers 911 telecommunicators to dispatch nearby Avive Connect AEDs to the scene of Sudden Cardiac Arrest emergencies. Once triggered, the nearby AEDs flash a red screen and sound an alarm, giving bystanders directions to the scene and guiding them through the emergency with step-by-step CPR and defibrillation instructions. This seamless coordination between CARE team members, next-generation AED technology, and emergency services establishes a new standard for cardiac arrest response.

“This program is a game-changer for cardiac arrest care, and this first save proves the impact it can have in our communities,” said Julie Walker, President of The Peyton Walker Foundation. “It’s incredible to see how local volunteers, equipped with the right tools, can save lives.  Knowing that this program will help to spare families from the devastating heartache we live with – after losing a loved one to SCA – is priceless.”

A Call to Action for Communities Nationwide

The October 29th awards ceremony celebrated this life-saving rescue and aims to raise awareness about the importance of rapid response and widespread AED access in every community. Program leaders and local officials spoke about the impact of the Cumberland 4 Minute Community initiative and the potential it has to serve as a national model for improving cardiac arrest survival rates. We are proud to celebrate Cumberland and excited that we will expand the 4 Minute City program in Central Pennsylvania with an announcement to follow.

“This program is about empowering communities with the tools and training they need to save lives,” said Sameer Jafri, CEO and Founder at Avive Solutions. “We are incredibly proud to see Cumberland County leading the charge in demonstrating the transformative power of the 4 Minute City Program.”

About The Peyton Walker Foundation:
The Peyton Walker Foundation is dedicated to increasing awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and saving lives through heart screenings, CPR, and AED training. The foundation was created in memory of Peyton Walker, who tragically passed away at the age of 19 due to sudden cardiac arrest.

About Avive Solutions, Inc.:
Avive Solutions, Inc. is a Brisbane, CA-based company dedicated to developing state-of-the-art Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) designed to be accessible, intuitive, and effective in saving lives during Sudden Cardiac Arrest emergencies. Avive’s mission is to ensure that lifesaving AED technology is available in every community across the nation. Learn more at https://avive.life.

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Media Contacts:
Julie Walker
The Peyton Walker Foundation
julie@peytonwalker.org

Katerina Miras
Avive Solutions
katerina@avive.life

For more information, visit avive.life and peytonwalker.org.