In 2003 I was visited by Lieutenant Bob Kreuder of the Suffolk County, N.Y. Police Department. He asked me if our law enforcement agency used AEDs. What was an AED, I asked? He said we were behind the times; the governor of New York directed all police agencies, public schools and buildings to install Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) to combat cardiac arrest.

As chairman of the Fountain Hills Law Enforcement Advisory Panel I contacted Sheriff Arpaio regarding this issue. After much discussion Sheriff Arpaio had MCSO lend Fountain Hills District 4 AEDs to kick off the program. With the continued efforts of the Town of Fountain Hills, MCSO, The Rural/Metro Fire Department, the Fountain Hills Realtors Association, Fountain Hills Cultural and Civic Association (FHCCA), former Mayor Jerry Miles, an anonymous lady among other private donors we have been able to save four lives.

Today we have almost 40 AEDS in Fountain Hills including all the public schools and MCSO cars, at least three churches, two golf courses, all public buildings, a few commercial owners and at least one private individual.

Most of these purchases were made through the FHCCA with private money; say a big thank you to a local organization that is the most instrumental driver of Fountain Hills success through volunteerism.

The FHCCA embodies the Greening of Downtown, the public art, AED program, Juried Art Show, Kids in Music, the Fountain Hills band, In Home Concerts, The Community Band, Community Chorus, Kindness Committee, and the Poinsettia Tree Project among other endeavors.

When you walk through Fountain Park and view the Presidents and the over 125 works of public art; that's the FHCCA, look at the new gardens and trees; FHCCA again. Take a look at the FHCCA website (www.fhcutural-civic.org), maybe it could be good fit for you.