Students bridge the "Chain of Survival" gap by mapping 300+ AEDs to help local 911 dispatchers save lives from sudden cardiac arrest across Massachusetts.

These students are learning that you don’t need a medical degree to save a life. By mapping AEDs, they have fundamentally strengthened our community’s safety infrastructure.”
— Nick Parianos

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, December 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- National nonprofit Cardiac Crusade today announced a major public health milestone: students from Masconomet Regional High School, part of the Boston Shock Squad, have successfully mapped more than 300 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across Massachusetts — a critical step in improving survival rates from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).

Through their wellness and health curriculum, these students learned a sobering reality: surviving sudden cardiac arrest often depends on a “Chain of Survival” — and that chain has a life-threatening gap.

Bridging the Gap in the Chain of Survival

The Chain of Survival relies on three key actions:
1 - Recognition — Identifying cardiac arrest and calling 911
2 - Early CPR — Keeping blood flowing to the brain
3 - Rapid Defibrillation — Delivering a life-saving shock with an AED

While bystanders often initiate CPR, many emergencies fail at the final step simply because no one knows where the nearest AED is located. Even when a device is just feet away, it is useless if it cannot be found.

The mission of Cardiac Crusade — and the work of the Boston Shock Squad — is to close that gap by making AEDs visible, searchable, and immediately accessible to emergency responders and the public.

“Too many people are dying with a life-saving AED just steps away because nobody knows it’s there,” said Greg Coon, Co-Founder of Cardiac Crusade. “What these students have accomplished is monumental. By reaching this 300-AED milestone, their work will statistically save more than one life every single year.”

The Urgent Need: Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, claiming more than 350,000 lives annually. Without immediate action, survival rates are often below 10% national average. However, when CPR and AEDs are used quickly, survival can increase dramatically — up to 80% if a shock is delivered within two minutes, and as high as 90% within the first minute.

Communities that have invested in AED mapping demonstrate what is possible. San Diego, which has mapped more than 2,600 AEDs, reports survival rates between 50–70% depending on location. In contrast, areas without this infrastructure — including parts of Massachusetts — experience survival rates as low as 3%. The difference between life and death often comes down to one factor: knowing exactly where the nearest AED is located when seconds matter most.

Immediate Impact — and What Comes Next

The students’ work has immediate, real-world impact. All mapped AEDs are now available to local 911 dispatchers, enabling them to direct callers to the nearest device during an emergency. Phase Two of the initiative will make these AED locations searchable on Google and Apple Maps, further expanding public access.

Nicholas C. Parianos, MS, MEd, EMT-IC, a Wellness Teacher at Masconomet Regional High School and EMT-B with Beauport Ambulance Service, guided the students throughout the project. “These students are learning that you don’t need a medical degree to save a life,” Parianos said. “By mapping AEDs, they have fundamentally strengthened our community’s safety infrastructure.”

Victoria Jones, a Masconomet student and Boston Shock Squad member recognized for mapping more than 20 AEDs, added: “I am eager to continue mapping AEDs because I believe in this program, and I am hopeful that my involvement will help save the life of someone experiencing a cardiac emergency.”

How to Join the Crusade

Cardiac Crusade is actively recruiting volunteers to help reach its statewide AED-mapping goals in Massachusetts and beyond. Anyone can become a volunteer and play a role in saving lives. To get started, visit www.cardiaccrusade.org and click “Start Training Now.”

About Cardiac Crusade

Cardiac Crusade is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to saving lives from Sudden Cardiac Arrest by ensuring AEDs are visible, accessible, and actionable. Founded by Greg and Julie Coon after Julie survived sudden cardiac arrest, the organization focuses on community mapping, volunteer training, and real-time emergency readiness.

Gregory Coon
Cardiac Crusade
+1 214-207-5303
[email protected]
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Julie Coon - I'm Putting My Heart Into Changing the Odds

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