| About EPAD |
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EPAD is a nonprofit organization created by Evergreen Paramedic, Dave Montesi, in 2003 to assist local businesses and organizations in the purchase and placement of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs). Dave and other members of Evergreen Fire/Rescue decided to create a public access defibrillation program in Evergreen, because they knew of the potential for increased survival rates from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in communities with public access defibrillation programs. These programs may improve the chance of survival from SCA by as much as 40-60 percent. Evergreen is a perfect fit for this program because of its size, growing population, good average ambulance response time and the community's willingness to help one another. EPAD so strongly believes in this early defibrillation program that it provides half of an AED's cost to any public or private business or organization within the Evergreen Fire Protection District. Additionally, EPAD provides the initial CPR and AED training and certification at no additional cost. Interested parties are responsible for paying for the other half of the AED and ensuring their facility maintains current CPR certification which meet the standards of the Colorado AED Law. EPAD is able to provide AEDs at greatly reduced costs because of its close relationship with major AED manufacturers. Since its inception, EPAD has placed twenty-eight AEDs throughout the community in areas of high risk and where large groups of people gather, such as Evergreen's fitness centers, entertainment complexes, and shopping areas. Already, most of Evergreen's fitness centers have AEDs, as well as some churches, several office buildings and a few schools. EPAD is proud of the 100 percent success rate it has on two lives saved using AEDs, which were placed through this program. With the help of the community, Evergreen is well on its way to becoming a "Heart Safe" community.
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