Giving the Gift of Giving

AED Superstore surprises employees with the opportunity for each of them to donate a lifesaving AED to the cause of their choice.

On June 17, 2017, as part of the company’s 15 year anniversary, employees here at AED Superstore learned they would each be able to donate an automated external defibrillator to an organization, charity, or heart-compromised individual of their choice. This means more than 65 life-saving AEDs will be placed where they can benefit communities which may not otherwise have been able to afford them. This also means more lives can be saved and more people will be educated about the importance of AEDs.

AED Superstore was started by two EMS professionals who recognized AEDs should be more readily available in order to lower the rate of death from sudden cardiac arrest. They set out to make that happen by selling these amazing devices to anyone wishing to enhance the safety of those around them. Over the years, the company has fostered a culture of giving with AED donations, financial donations, as well as both a scholarship and grant program. Recipients of these awards are typically made by the company’s selection committee.

One of the amazing things which happened during the selection process involved the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department close to AED Superstore’s offices in northern Wisconsin. They indicated they had no AEDs in their patrol vehicles and asked if there was any way seven to eight units could be donated. The call went out to employees who had not made their individual selections yet, and within 24 hours eight employees chose to donate their AEDs to Vilas County. At the end of this month, those eight employees will meet with representatives from the Vilas County Sheriff’s department to present them with these life-saving devices.

“We wanted to give our employees the opportunity to choose the recipients themselves,” said Cindy Dunbar, Director of Customer Care. “Everyone knows of a place which could benefit from having an AED, and having the devices come from the employees themselves was the best gift we could give them.” From schools and youth organizations to churches and family members with chronic heart complications, every employee hopes the AEDs never have to be used. Should the need arise, however, they are happy to know chances of survival are increased.