When I was in my early thirties, I was in heart failure due to a congenital heart defect. I had a pace maker and was subsequently in Cardiac Rehab for the first time when I had a cardiac arrest. Had I not been in a hospital at the time, the chance of me surviving were less than 10%.
Most people are not as lucky as I was when they experience a cardiac arrest. Hence, this nonprofit, that specializes in placing defibrillators throughout the Vail Valley and the education regarding their use, increases the chance for survival for those who have a life threatening cardiac arrest. Starting Hearts has bennefited those of us who live here as well as our many visitors each year!
Starting Hearts placed a public defibrillator in our commercial center just outside our office, then trained our staff for free on the proper use of the device. This nonprofit provides a very valuable service to our community and is highly respected. We greatly appreciate all they do and encourage other communities to get involved in Starting Hearts' programs.
Our public safety organization works closely with Starting Hearts and are appreciative for their service to our community. Empowering citizen first responders strengthens the chain of survival in cardiac arrest cases, leading to more positive outcomes. When we arrive on scene, we are always encouraged to find early care provided by a citizen, and often we find that citizen was trained by Starting Hearts.
I got involved as a Volunteer because I worked with our founder Lynn and it was at our office she went into cardiac arrest. My sister was involved with giving Lynn CPR and that created a lifelong bond.
The organization she started is very much a Grass Roots one with almost no overhead. It's purpose is to provide AEDS at no charge to the general public and now provides free or at minimum cost training to all school age children in our Eagle County CPR. A big undertaking with only 2 staff relying on mostly on volunteers. It is very gratifying to those we teach and almost everyone seems to have been touched with heart disease or related conditions. This is an organization that desires to create a model for other counties and states to develop a similar purpose that no one else has established.
On Valentine's Day 2007, I became the first responder when 27-year-old Lynn Blake experienced sudden cardiac arrest. I had been trained numerous times in CPR, but never dreamed I'd know what to do if needed, nor that I would ever use the training. Since then, Lynn founded Starting Hearts. I ran into her at a Farmer's Market when she told me she was doing this. I reached into my pocket and handed her a $20 bill and became the first donor. Starting Hearts has changed Eagle County to be, I believe, the most trained community with accessible Defibs anywhere. I'm proud to be a Board Member.
Saving lives is what Starting Hearts is all about. A lofty goal - one that many organizations have - but Starting Hearts actually has a concrete, three pronged approach that has proven successful. First and foremost is to educate our community on how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator. Starting Hearts has implemented programs with all our schools to teach all students and instructors how to do CPR. In addition, they have taught thousands of local citizens how to perform the necessary steps to assist someone with a sudden cardiac arrest. Second step is to get more defib's available. Thanks to Starting Hearts, Eagle County has one of the highest per capita number of defib's in the country. Third prong is to have a way to notify community members when someone is having a sudden cardiac arrest and is in need of assistance. Starting Hearts has implemented a "Neighbor Saver" program in conjunction with Vail Dispatch to notify volunteers who are trained to assist in an emergency. Starting Hearts IS saving lives. I am so privileged to have been a part of this organization for the last 5 years as a board member. Our founder, Lynn, and our Executive Director, Alan, are visionaries who follow up their visions with concrete, measurable goals. This is a an organization that you can trust.
This organization is making a tremendous difference in our community with education and putting AEDs in the community.
I am constantly amazed and filled with admiration at the focus and integrity displayed by those involved in Starting Hearts. Their mission to educate all community members in life-saving CPR and equip their communities with Defib machines, goes to the heart of what inspires a continuing non-profit organization. The fact that members of Starting Hearts wish to expand their mission to communities throughout the nation just adds to their spirit of giving to an entire family, the tools to save a life.
Truly exceptional organization determined to educate the public about a public health menace that takes more lives every year than breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancer combined. In addition to CPR education, the public is trained to intervene with a highly effective device, the automatic external defibrillator, that actually saves lives, and can be implemented before even the paramedics arrive, making the bystander the first responder. Incredibly well-run, and likely to become a national organization soon.
Review from Guidestar
When I heard Lynn Blake's story about being saved by a defibrillator, I knew I had to get involved with this amazing organization. Starting Hearts has raised money to install hundreds of AEDs and trained thousands of people to do CPR,all in Eagle County. Starting Hearts has made this into one of the safest places in Colorado (and maybe the U.S.) if you happen to go into cardiac arrest.
Both my husband and I have heart disease in our families,so Starting Hearts is a perfect fit when we decide where we will donate money each year!
Review from Guidestar
Starting Hearts has truly evolved over the last two years. Being a Board Member since 2013, I have seen it firsthand. The impact Starting Hearts has and will continue to make in saving people lives who have cardiac arrest is just beginning. A main objective was to have Eagle County the safest place in the United States to have a cardiac arrest. If we have not already passed this mark, it will not be long until Starting Hearts does. The transformation has been led by our Founder Lynn and our Executive Director Alan. With our current leadership and the building of a team, growth in saving more lives is next. I am excited to see what the next few years bring.
Review from Guidestar
Starting Hearts is a wonderful non profit as I can see concrete results as to where my money is going when I donate toward the purchase of defibrillators for Eagle County.
There is very little administrative cost and only one staff member,so the money goes mostly toward purchasing and installing AEDs,which save lives.
I have really enjoyed serving on the board and volunteering my time with this organization.
Mary Griesedieck
Review from Guidestar