Updated Feb. 10
The MV Pulse Project, an initiative by Lou Quattrucci to make a medical device more commonly available across the Island, announced Monday that they donated two automated external defibrillators (AED) to the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society and the United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard.
Quattrucci began the project following his own heart issue. Quattrucci is a 63-year-old Island resident who was healthy and had no signs of heart disease when he suffered a severe heart attack called a “widowmaker” in July. He survived because he was luckily near both medical personnel and an AED, which delivers an electric shock to the body to restore normal rhythm.
To pay his “luck” forward, Quattrucci started the MV Pulse Project last year to raise money to donate AEDs to places on the Island as well as train people to use them. Quattrucci’s also worked to register AEDs that are currently available on-Island to a national registry, called Pulse Point AED, which tracks where the devices are located on a public online map. He’s even gone door-to-door to Island businesses to hand out flyers explaining what to do if someone suffers cardiac arrest. The flyers also have a list of known AEDs in each town.
There are around 120 AEDs on the map of the Island now, where only 29 were listed back in October.
The goal, back in October, was to raise enough money to buy 10 AEDs to donate to areas that don’t already have the equipment. Quattrucci told The Times Monday that they’ve raised enough for 10 and have bought or are in the process of purchasing the rest.
Press around the initiative, Quattrucci said, pushed a lot of community organizations to inquire about an AED donation, and the Agricultural Society and United Methodist Church were the first to raise their hands.
Those interested have to fill out a basic application, order the defibrillator, and schedule CPR training. Quattrucci also shouted out retired Island paramedic Chuck Cummens, who has donated his time and experience to provide CPR training.
This wasn’t intended to be a career for Quattrucci but “a pay-it-forward exercise.” But now that the initiative reached the original goal, he’ll continue to do more if possible. Regardless, the whole project’s been a victory, he said.
For more information, you can email mvpulseproject@gmail.com.
Editor’s note: Updated to include more details of Pulse Project’s efforts.