Hospital Donates Heart Device to Local School

ORANGE CITY, Fla., December 21, 2018 – AdventHealth Fish Memorial, formerly Florida Hospital Fish Memorial, has donated a $1,200 automated external defibrillator (AED) to the Pine Ridge Christian Academy, a leader in Volusia County for faith-based early childhood programs.

AEDs are portable devices check the heart rhythm and treat sudden cardiac arrest. If needed, it can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm.

“We are proud to partner with the Pine Ridge Christian Academy to bring these life-saving devices into such a critical space in our community,” said Rob Deininger, AdventHealth Fish Memorial, CEO. “This is a donation that we hope never actually gets used. However, if someone was ever in need, we are glad to know there will be an AED nearby.”

Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating and usually causes death if it's not treated within minutes. When a sudden cardiac arrest occurs, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. In these cases, time is of the essence because each minute a person is in sudden cardiac arrest leads to a 10 percent reduction in survival.

“We wish to thank AdventHealth Fish Memorial, for the support and benevolence they have demonstrated in awarding us with a vital AED device,” said Candice Nieves, director of preschool ministries at Pine Ridge Christian Academy. “Having an AED on Pine Ridge premises will enable us to hopefully save a life, should the need arise.”

About AdventHealth Fish Memorial

AdventHealth’s parent company, Adventist Health System, has announced that it will soon change its name to AdventHealth. Based in Altamonte Springs, Adventist Health System is one of the nation’s largest faith-based health care systems with nearly 50 hospital campuses in nine states and more than 80,000 employees. As of Jan. 2, 2019, AdventHealth Fish Memorial will adopt the AdventHealth name and logo. This name change is not the result of a merger, acquisition or change in ownership, but part of our efforts to help consumers easily identify AdventHealth’s care locations and services. We remain steadfastly committed to delivering whole-person care for the mind, body and spirit and our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ remains the same.

Located in Orange City, AdventHealth Fish Memorial has 175-beds and is one of the six AdventHealths in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties that composes the AdventHealth Central Florida Division - North Region.