Reflecting on 2024

December 13, 2024

This past year was a busy one at Defibtech! As we reflect on 2024 and head into 2025, we are proud of what we have done but know there is more work to do so we can help save more lives from sudden cardiac arrest. Let’s look at what we have done this past year! 

January – New Year, New Goals 

Each month we create a monthly theme to help us spread awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and the need for Automated External Defibrillators. Our January theme was New Year, New Goals. We had a lot of goals for 2024 including: 

• - Deploy more AEDs

• - Challenging everyone to learn CPR and how to use an AED 

• - Increasing our international presence  

• - More AEDs on public transportation  

• - Supporting more nonprofit organizations 

• - Pushing legislation for AEDs 

• - Equipping as many sidelines as possible with an AED 

As we review the work we have done in 2024, we are proud to have accomplished many of these goals. 

Additionally, we hosted a webinar with Martha Lopez Anderson from Parent Heart Watch and Mary Newman from the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation about what both organizations had planned for 2024 and what they viewed as critical to help save more lives from sudden cardiac arrest.  

Finally, we attended the annual Heart to Heart Conference hosted by Parent Heart Watch at Duke University in North Carolina. This amazing conference brings together advocates, organizations, and people all working together to improve survival rates.  
 

February – Defibtech Valentines  

Just because February is a shorter month, doesn’t mean we had a smaller impact! February is also American Heart Month! Our Defibtech family participated in “wear red day,” for the American Heart Association “Go Red for Women Campaign,” which is an initiative aimed to raise awareness about cardiovascular health in women and to empower women to act against heart disease.  

Our Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Joe Mullally, was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the Connecticut District Export Council.  

We partnered with our hometown of Guilford, CT to place 14 AEDs in outdoor cabinets that will be accessible 24/7 to the community.  

We hosted a webinar with Dr. Lisa Freed, Director of Women’s Heart and Vascular Programs at Yale New Haven Hospital. Dr. Freed discussed heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest in women.  

We also attended the Living for Zachary Gala in Dallas, TX. Living for Zachary is an amazing nonprofit dedicated to helping save lives from sudden cardiac arrest.  
 

March – Athletic Training Month 

March is National Athletic Training Month, and we made sure to recognize the amazing work athletic trainers all over the world do. These medical professionals play a crucial role in keeping all student-athletes safe.  

We hosted a webinar with Dr. Christy Eason, President of Sports Safety & Education at The Korey Stringer Institute (KSI). The topic of the webinar was “Busting AED Myths.” The goal was to ensure everyone is comfortable using an AED! 

We also helped promote the need for Emergency Action Plans in all settings! 
 

April – First Responder Appreciation 

In April, we took the time to recognize all first responders for their life-saving work. They play a crucial role in the sudden cardiac arrest chain of survival and helping to save more lives! 

We hosted a webinar with Leigh Goodman, Paramedic and the EMS Coordinator for Milford Medical Control at Bridgeport Hospital. This webinar helped us understand the EMS role in responding to sudden cardiac arrest.  

Our team also attended the annual FDIC International Trade Show in Indianapolis to talk with first responders all over the world about our lifesaving equipment.  
 

May – Trains, Planes, & Subways 

Every single day millions of people are utilizing public transportation to commute. In May, we discussed the importance of having AEDs quickly accessible on all modes of public transport.  

Our team traveled to Kansas City, MO for the annual Project ADAM meeting. This meeting brings together 44 Project ADAM affiliates across 32 states to help create heart safe schools and communities.  

We were also a recipient of the 2024 “E” Award of exports from the United States Department of Commerce. This award is the highest recognition a person or U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.  

One of our nonprofit partners, The Kyle J. Taylor Foundation partnered with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League to donate 20 AEDs to various Bay Area schools.  

We hosted a webinar with United Airlines to discuss how airlines prepare for sudden cardiac arrest! 

Later that month, Keiichiro Yoshizawa was appointed the new President of Defibtech! We were beyond excited to welcome him back to our team.  

Finally, we released our Lifeline VIEW and Lifeline ECG Dual Language AED models. These AEDs allow the rescuer to toggle between English or Spanish as the spoken language with the simple touch of a button.  
 

June – Summer 

The beginning of June is always busy for us as it is National CPR-AED Awareness Week. We traveled down to Washington D.C. for the National CPR & AED rally and spent a few days with nonprofits, companies, and individuals spreading awareness about sudden cardiac arrest.  

Our employees donated some AEDS to local nonprofit organizations in need including the Branford Compassion Club, Branford Land Trust, Blackstone Library, and more! 

Our team participated in the annual plogging day at the Branford Trolley Trail and helped pick up trash while being active. 

We hosted a webinar with our very own Allison Taylor and her mom, Jennifer Sarmento. The theme was about how a mother and daughter are both working to save lives from sudden cardiac arrest. Allison is part of our Defibtech team, and her mom founded The Kyle J. Taylor Foundation in memory of her son who passed away from sudden cardiac arrest.  

We welcomed a new international partner, OxygenCare in Ireland as a distributor of Defibtech products.  
 

July – Defibtech International  

As summer moved along, we worked to improve our international presence and promote some of the amazing work being done internationally. We strengthened our partnerships with The Community Heartbeat Trust, Red Sky Foundation, and developed new partnerships with amazing charity organizations in Europe.  

August – Chain or Survival 

In August we focused on the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Chain of Survival! The chain of survival, developed by the American Heart Association is six crucial steps in improving survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest emergencies.  

We partnered with The HEARTest Yard and Atrium Health Foundation to place 89 AEDs with athletic trainers in Charlotte area schools.  

We shared a heartwarming story for our August webinar. We shared the story of University of Pittsburg student-athlete Ellie Breech. Ellie learned CPR as part of a campus wide initiative early in the year. The following Christmas, Ellie used CPR to help save her father’s life! 

September – Back to School  

September is back to school season and always a good reminder that our schools need AEDs accessible within 3 minutes, trained responders, a maintenance plan, and an emergency action plan.  

We were joined by Charles Wooley, Outreach Coordinator for Arkansas Children’s Heart Institute and Project ADAM Heart Safe Schools Arkansas. Charles shared how he goes around the state, ensuring schools are heart safe!  

October – Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month 

October marks Sudden Cardiac Arrest awareness month and we believe more awareness needs to be raised! We hosted a webinar with Dr. Jonathan Drezner, Director, Center for Sports Cardiology of Washington Sports Medicine. Dr. Drezner is a true force in advocating and working to increase SCA survival rates. He discussed how to recognize sudden cardiac arrest.  

November – Gratitude for Nonprofits 

Throughout the month of November, we spotlighted our amazing nonprofit partners! These nonprofits are working tirelessly every single day in their communities to help save lives. 

We partnered with The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation to donate an AED to Pfahler Sport Specific in Montana.  

We also attended the annual FitFest fundraiser hosted by The HEARTest Yard and donated two AEDS to local organizations.  

December – The Gift of Life 

As December moves along, we are celebrating the gift of life! We partnered with our Ireland distributor, OxygenCare to donate an AED to Niall’s family. Niall is a young boy that has Supraventricular Tachycardia which requires him to always be near an AED. This AED allows him to participate in all events with his classmates! 

As 2024 comes to a close, we are proud of the work we have done but know so much more needs to be accomplished so we can fulfill our mission. Stay tuned as we continue our life saving work in 2025! 

To learn more about Defibtech and to join us on our quest to save lives from sudden cardiac arrest, visit www.Defibtech.com.