Episode 5

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Published on:

19th Feb 2025

Raising Awareness and Saving Lives: An Interview with Chip Georges

AED's save lives, it's a proven fact. But when they aren't available, or are within reach behind locked doors or inside after hours, they can't do their jobs. Awareness of the need for external AED's and the availability of services to install them is crucial. We're talking about it here, on the SaveHeart Stories podcast.

In this episode of Save Heart Stories, host Dave Fritzsche, founder of SaveHeart by HeartNation discusses the critical issue of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) with Chip Georges, President of Marelly AED's and Safety.

They explore the alarming statistics surrounding SCA, the importance of AEDs, and the mission of Marelly Safety in providing life-saving equipment and training. The conversation delves into the origins of Marelly Safety, the challenges faced in raising awareness about AEDs, and the future of AED technology and accessibility. Chip shares success stories and emphasizes the importance of community involvement in saving lives.

Takeaways

-SCA claims almost 400,000 lives annually in the U.S.

-The survival rate for SCA remains around 10%.

-Marelly Safety was founded in 2002 by Chip's father.

-The company started as an AED leasing business.

-Marelly focuses on being an AED program provider, not just a seller.

-Awareness of AED locations is crucial for saving lives.

-Outdoor AED cabinets can significantly increase visibility.

-Education about AEDs is essential for effective use.

-Technological advancements in AEDs are on the horizon.

-Community involvement is key to improving survival rates.

Chapters

00:17 Introduction to The SaveHeart Stories Podcast

03:00 The Origins and Growth of Marelly AED's and Safety

09:39 Challenges in AED Awareness and Education

16:30 Future Trends in AED Technology and Accessibility

22:05 Success Stories and Impact of AEDs

25:28 Calls to Action

Helpful Links:

Chip Gorges at Marelly AED's and Safety: https://www.marelly.com/

Dave Fritzsche at SaveHeart by HeartNation: https://saveheart.life/

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About the Podcast

SaveHeart Stories
Real-life stories of sudden cardiac arrest and the need to place AEDs everywhere people gather- indoors and outside. Because one life lost is too many, these stories matter.
Real Life stories of lives saved, lost, and changed saved due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)- the largest cause of natural death in the United States. The SaveHeart Stories podcast sheds light on how to drastically improve SCA survival rates by placing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) everywhere people live, work, and play, training more people in basic CPR & AED use, and promoting youth heart screenings to uncover potential heart defects in teenagers.

Every year in the U.S., out-of-hospital SCA claims the lives of 356,000 people, including more than 23,000 teenagers. SCA strikes without warning and affects people from every walk of life, regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, or even health profile. While Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is essential to help blood flow to vital organs after an SCA event, the only real cure for SCA is an electrical shock from an AED, which the American Heart Association recommends should happen within 3 minutes. Sadly, today, less than 10% of SCA victims survive, largely because AEDs aren’t located close enough to where people are.

There is an increasing number of stories in the media about how having an AED saved a precious life, or worse, how not having an AED nearby resulted in a tragic and unnecessary death. SaveHeart Stories should inspire us to do something about it now- individually, and together- so that our stories can change from sadness to celebration- and from tragedy to triumph.

SaveHeart Stories is brought to you by your host, Dave Fritzsche, AED industry veteran and founder of SaveHeart by HeartNation. Proudly ‘Made in the USA,’ SaveHeart’s highly visible, alarmed, lighted, temperature-controlled and 24x7 monitored outdoor cabinets provide immediate visibility & access to lifesaving AEDs, Stop the Bleed Kits, Narcan, and other emergency supplies. They are ideal for parks, athletic fields & courts, trails, schools & universities, business districts, marinas, beaches, and any outdoor locations where people congregate.

To learn more about how Outdoor AEDs can keep your community safer, call 312-953-6928 or email dave@saveheart.life.

About your host

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Dave Fritzsche

Dave Fritzsche has been in the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) industry for over 25 years
This includes 2 stints at AED manufacturer Defibtech- as initial investor, VP of Sales & Marketing, VP of Business Development, and Executive Committee Member. Working with truly innovative products and an outstanding team, Dave helped take Defibtech from unknown AED start-up to a major industry player. In 2007, Defibtech was named as the fastest growing medical device company in the U.S. by Deloitte & Touche and was acquired in 2012 by Nihon Kohden Corporation. In 2016, Dave helped launch the Lifeline ARM automated CPR device.

In 2006, Dave was diagnosed with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and an abnormal EKG
Fortunately, annual check-ups have not shown an increased thickening of his heart muscle over time. Still, his diagnosis and experience is the reason behind SaveHeart’s support of several not-for-profit organizations focused on enabling greater AED access and increased SCA awareness and prevention. This includes many local organizations founded by parents who have lost a child to SCA, as well as various heart screening organizations that help detect heart defects & abnormalities in teenagers. He considers himself lucky to work with and support such incredible people & organizations who share a mission to promote greater AED access, enhanced heart screening efforts and breakthrough monitoring technology to help eliminate unnecessary SCA deaths.