As part of the Venemergencia Foundation’s Public Access Defibrillation Program
The second public access defibrillator in the municipality of Baruta was installed in the Main Square of Cumbres de Curumo, thanks to the joint efforts of council members Luis Aguilar, Federico Estaba, and the Venemergencia Foundation. During the event, attendees were shown how to use the equipment, and the Venemergencia Mobile Clinic conducted a screening for hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
With the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program, anyone—even without professional training—can successfully act as a first responder in their community in situations like this, which increases the likelihood of timely and effective medical emergency response by thousands of times. “It is very significant to install this defibrillator in Cumbres de Curumo, where the neighborhood organization is so strong. We enacted an ordinance that we are complying with and enforcing to save lives. That is why, with the support of Venemergencia, we will continue to incorporate more cardio-protected zones in our municipality,” said Councilman Luis Aguilar.
For his part, Federico Estaba, Chair of the Public Safety and Health Commission, spoke about the work leading up to the AED installation: “The path of the ordinance on heart-safe zones that has brought us here today puts the opportunity in the hands of residents to become key players in this initiative,” he noted.
As a nonprofit organization working on the creation and implementation of community development programs to promote access to healthcare through education, the Venemergencia Foundation is celebrating its 13th anniversary with the launch of this program. “Thanks to this partnership, we are equipping Caracas with Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and training residents in basic life support. This equipment is only useful to the extent that you, the residents, commit to receiving training as first responders, to working as a team, and to saving lives using the proper protocol,” said Andrea Galarraga, Director of Sustainability at Venemergencia. Galarraga also thanked journalist María Laura García for her presence as the company’s ambassador, who emphasized the need to promote the necessary tools so that more and more citizens can be trained in first aid.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiac arrest is the main complication of these diseases, which, without immediate treatment involving cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation, leads to death. The chances of survival decrease by 10% for every minute that care is delayed.
About Venemergencia
Venemergencia is Venezuela’s comprehensive assistance platform, dedicated to improving the quality of life of Venezuelans through health and auto services; it is the only one in the country with ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Quality Management System. It is a system that operates preventively, offering services focused on providing a primary diagnosis to avoid unnecessary visits to clinics and also caring for Venezuelans’ vehicles, offering better quality of care for users and reducing our clients’ operating costs. It operates one of the country’s most extensive fleets of ambulances, tow trucks, cars, and motorcycle ambulances, with services available 24/7.
Through the Venemergencia Foundation, we contribute to achieving Goal 3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being. We do this through first aid training courses in partnership with USB, UNIMET, and UCAB. We also expand heart-safe zones by donating portable defibrillators in public spaces, in partnership with city governments and institutions such as El Sistema.
You can follow us at: @venemergencia @fundacionvenemergencia @urgentcare.ve
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Communications Manager: Isabela Iturriza Soulés, WhatsApp 0424-1064782
