Gootter Foundation Announces Latest Round of AED Donations
The Steven M. Gootter Foundation has announced another round of donations of Automated External Defibrillators to the Marana, Sahuarita and Oro Valley police departments to be placed in patrol cars throughout Southern Arizona.
Dedicated to defeating sudden cardiac death by supporting increased awareness, education, scientific research, and the distribution of AEDs, the Gootter Foundation has donated over 450 AEDs throughout Southern Arizona. Placing AEDs in police vehicles greatly strengthens the chain of survival and makes Tucson a safer community. Police officers are often first on the scene when a cardiac event is reported. Although one can never predict when and where a sudden cardiac event will take place, by placing AEDs in patrol cars with officers who have been trained on how to use these devices, there is a greater chance the sudden cardiac arrest victim can be saved. Since 2012, several lives have been saved by the Marana and Oro Valley Police Departments using the AEDs donated by the Gootter Foundation.
On Nov. 21, Chief Kara Riley accepted a donation from the Gootter Foundation on behalf of the Oro Valley Police Department, “Oro Valley Police is thankful for the generous donation of 12 defibrillators from the Steven M. Gootter Foundation. Having these additional tools at our disposal increases the chances of preventing or reversing a sudden cardiac event within our community, which is known to save lives. Having AEDs in patrol vehicles will deliver life-saving actions quicker, in a situation where seconds can mean the difference between life and death.”
In a Nov. 28 dedication ceremony, Marana Chief of Police Reuben Nunez was thrilled to receive the AEDs. “The Marana Police Department was recently awarded a grant for 11 AEDs from the Steven M. Gootter Foundation. We are honored to be awarded this grant to further our mission of “Unparalleled Service, Unwavering Protection, and doing so with Uncompromised Integrity. These AED units will be assigned to the patrol division; ensuring these units are available 24-hours a day for an officer(s) to respond to any sudden cardiac arrest emergency. The Marana Police Department appreciates the great relationship with the Steven M. Gootter Foundation as we were first awarded this grant in 2015.”
The Sahuarita Police Department took delivery of their AEDs on Dec. 2. Chief of Police John Noland is grateful for the life-giving gifts from the Gootter Foundation. “The Sahuarita Police Department would like to thank the Gootter Foundation for providing critical equipment to our department. AEDs allow officers to respond to critical emergencies and provide life-saving measures to people in need. Without these machines, our effectiveness in providing CPR and other life-saving measures would be diminished. Thank you for all your support”.
Andrew Messing, president of the Gootter Foundation, spoke about these recent donations: “We are excited to deliver an additional 30 AEDs to police departments in Southern Arizona. We have now placed over 250 AEDs with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana and Sahuarita Police Departments. These life-saving devices, in the hands of trained police officers, will increase the rate of survival of SCD victims in Southern Arizona.”
