Northern Kentucky First Responders Provided AEDs Thanks to Project Heart ReStart and Rotary Club of Florence
Written By: Will Baker, Rotary Club of Florence
First responders from 38 Northern Kentucky law enforcement agencies now have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in their vehicles, thanks to a combined effort of the Rotary Clubs of Cincinnati, Covington, Falmouth, Florence, and Kenton County.
Nearly 170 AEDs were handed out during the November meeting of the Northern Kentucky Police Association, which marked the end of phase three of Project Heart ReStart. Through the project’s first two phases, nearly $500,000 was raised, which has helped equip nearly 250 first responder vehicles in Hamilton County and the surrounding Greater Cincinnati area with AEDs. “The members of the Cincinnati Rotary Club had a vision. They saw it through. And then they passed it on to the Rotary Clubs of Northern Kentucky,” said Michael Constantino of the Rotary Club of Kenton County. “The vision was for Rotary across the US to continue this journey to making as many cities and counties Heart Ready as possible.”
Ian Addington had just taken over as president of the Rotary Club of Florence when Project Heart ReStart was presented to him. “I was looking for a project we could do with our district grand funds, and I felt this was perfect. It was also an important project to me because there is a Rotarian in our club, that, without her, our work would be very diminished. And she was saved with the use of an AED.” Addington and club members then worked to convene Northern Kentucky leadership and get them on board with the project.
The original Project Heart ReStart began in 2006 with The Christ Hospital Health Network training more than 6,500 people in CPR, which expanded into providing AEDs to first responders.
With the delivery of the AEDs to Northern Kentucky first responders, Boone, Kenton, Campbell, and Pendleton counties are the first Heart Ready counties in Kentucky.
