ZOLL Helps Turn Awareness into Action During Every Second Counts Weekend

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 24: Attendees pose during the Every Second Counts National CPR and AED Rally and March on July 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for ZOLL)

Across three days in Washington, D.C., ZOLL partnered with Every Second Counts, community leaders, survivors and advocates to expand public AED access, build confidence and inspire more people to help save lives.

Every second counts during sudden cardiac arrest. That’s why, from July 23–25, survivors, advocates, first responders, community leaders and everyday citizens gathered in Washington, D.C. with one shared goal: making sure more people have the confidence—and the tools—to help save a life.

Throughout the three-day Every Second Counts CPR & AED Awareness March and Rally, one message echoed clearly, when Anything can happen. Anyone can help.

Day One: Expanding Access Where Communities Gather

Working alongside the District of Columbia Department of General Services, DC Fire and EMS, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and SaveStation®, ZOLL helped celebrate the installation of a publicly accessible AED at Ridge Road Community Center in DC’s Ward 7.

Serving thousands of residents each year across nearly 10 acres of athletic fields, recreation spaces, swimming facilities and community programs, Ridge Road is exactly the kind of place where families gather, and a critical intersection where bystanders can make a big difference if properly equipped when cardiac arrest strikes.

Installed in a climate-controlled outdoor SaveStation cabinet and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the ZOLL AED 3 expands lifesaving coverage while sending an equally important message that AEDs aren’t just for hospitals,they’re for communities.

Recent Harris Poll research commissioned by ZOLL found that 27% of adults don’t believe they could locate the nearest AED during an emergency, while half of parents believe every youth sports team already has one. Closing that gap between perception and reality begins by making AEDs easier to find, easier to access and easier to use.

Following the installation, the AED was registered with Pulse Point’s National Emergency AED Registry (NEAR), helping emergency dispatchers, first responders and bystanders locate it quickly when every second counts.

Day Two: Survivors Leading the Movement

The following day, hundreds of sudden cardiac arrest survivors, families and advocates marched together toward the U.S. Capitol to advocate for stronger AED laws and awareness among communities where AEDs laws already exist.

From young little leaguers to proud wives, they marched with stories of lives forever changed because someone nearby recognized cardiac arrest, called 911, started CPR or retrieved an AED.

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 24: Guests attend the Every Second Counts National CPR and AED Rally and March on July 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. The rally is the largest gathering of sudden cardiac arrest survivors, families, clinicians, and advocates from across the United States to promote CPR education, expand public access to AEDs, and encourage stronger state and federal policies. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for ZOLL)

The Anyone Can Help mascot joined the march alongside survivors and advocates, reinforcing a simple truth: AEDs are coaches to help bystanders in cardiac emergencies with real-time audio and visual guidance

Following the March, participants gathered on the Capitol grounds for a large-scale Hands-Only CPR demonstration, reminding lawmakers, visitors and the public that lifesaving skills belong to everyone, not just healthcare professionals.

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 24: Ed Kosiec (L), founder of Every Second Counts and organizer of the National CPR and AED Rally and March, stands with Hailey Yentz (R), an NCAA athlete who survived sudden cardiac arrest during track practice, and the ZOLL “Anyone Can Help” mascot (C) in front of the U.S. Capitol during the Every Second Counts National CPR and AED Rally and March on July 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for ZOLL)

Day Three: Bringing Lifesaving Skills to the National Mall

The weekend concluded with the Every Second Counts Rally on the National Mall, where bypassers on a beautiful and sunny Saturday stopped to learn Hands-Only CPR and see live AED demonstrations.

Throughout the day, ZOLL team members met with hundreds of survivors, families, advocates and community members, demonstrating how modern AEDs provide clear audio and visual guidance that coaches rescuers through each step of CPR and will only deliver a shock if one is needed.

For many, it was the first time they realized that an AED is designed for ordinary people—not just medical professionals.

Together, we’re helping more people realize that when anything can happen, anyone can help.
Lori Peters, Associate Director, Advocacy and Partnerships

“Our involvement in DC with Every Second Counts showed what’s possible when awareness becomes action,” said Lori Peters, Associate Director, Advocacy and Partnerships at ZOLL. Whether it’s expanding access to publicly available AEDs, empowering people to learn Hands-Only CPR or helping communities understand that today’s AEDs are designed to guide everyday rescuers, every step strengthens the chain of survival. Together, we’re helping more people realize that when anything can happen, anyone can help.

Awareness Is Only the Beginning

Every year, more than 356,000 people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States. Survival depends on immediate action, yet many emergencies occur before first responders can arrive.

Communities become stronger when people know where AEDs are located, feel confident using them and work together to make lifesaving equipment available where people live, play and gather.

Ready to Help Your Community?

Whether you’re part of a youth sports league, school, recreation department, neighborhood association, workplace or local government, you can help make lifesaving equipment more accessible where it matters most.

Visit the Anyone Can Help Community Activation Kit for practical resources, conversation starters and guidance to help bring more AEDs to your community.

Because when anything can happen, anyone can help.

Every Second Counts in D.C.