Capitola Police Fleet Fully Equipped With Cardiac Defibrillators

The initiative stems from a collaborative effort between the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce and Avive, a Brisbane-based manufacturer. The partnership split the procurement costs, with Avive donating half of the units and the Chamber funding the remainder. For the department, the addition of the Avive Connect AED® units transforms patrol vehicles into mobile medical stations capable of addressing cardiac emergencies where survival odds drop by 10% for every minute a defibrillator remains unavailable.

Capitola Police Chief Sarah Ryan noted that these devices bridge the crucial window between a 911 call and the arrival of fire or EMS personnel. The technology is specifically designed for rapid deployment, featuring 911 integration and remote monitoring capabilities. According to Hilary Gates, co-founder of the local Six Minutes to Live chapter, the deployment reflects the clinical reality that early intervention significantly shifts patient outcomes. By putting these tools directly into the hands of officers, the department aims to leverage the 40-75% survival rate increase associated with immediate bystander CPR and defibrillation.