The Hawai‘i County Police Department received a donation of 30 Automated External Defibrillators (AED) from the Hilo Benioff Medical Center Foundation and the Max and Yetta Karasik Foundation. This brings the department’s total to around 70 AEDs deployed across Hawai‘i Island.

The devices are crucial for early intervention during cardiac emergencies. Interim Police Chief Reed Mahuna emphasized the goal of equipping every patrol officer with an AED, especially since each officer uses their own patrol vehicle, allowing them to respond both on and off duty.

This is the third major AED donation from the foundation, following previous contributions in 2015 and 2020, significantly enhancing the department’s emergency response capabilities.

HPD Photo