A new chapter in community health and emergency readiness began on Saturday, July 26th, 2025, with the official launch of the HeartSafe Bahamas campaign, an initiative led by the Rotary Club of Old Fort aimed at making The Bahamas a cardiac-safe nation — one community at a time.
Held at the Fox Hill Community Centre, the inaugural event marked the first public installation of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and the beginning of CPR/AED training sessions. The initiative will unite health professionals, volunteers, civic leaders, and citizens under a shared goal: saving lives.
President of RCOF Mr. O’Niel Bain stated, “Rotary District 7020 Governor Dr. William “Bill” Aiken has set this year’s theme as ‘Recognize Needs. Transform Lives’ and encouraged clubs to focus on installing AEDs in public locations to help save lives during cardiac emergencies. The Rotary Club of Old Fort is continuing its track record of impactful service projects by launching our HeartSafe Bahamas campaign in recognition of this goal. We will be continuing this initiative with additional AED installations in public locations around the island as well as raising awareness of heart-related illnesses and prevention.”
According to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), studies show that immediate use of an AED can increase a cardiac arrest victim’s survival rate by up to 70%. Yet in too many spaces where Bahamians gather, access to these devices — and the knowledge to use them — remains limited.
“Minutes matter in cardiac emergencies. Through this programme, RCOF is helping to create a stronger, more responsive community health network,” said Dr. Alyssa Knowles-McSweeney, internal medicine specialist at Princess Margaret Hospital, who led a presentation on heart health and AED use during the event. At the event, Fox Hill Community Centre staff and Rotarians participated in hands-on AED demonstrations and received heart-health education. There was also a simultaneous blood drive organized by Aliv Bahamas and carried out by staff from Princess Margaret Hospital.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Rotary Club of Old Fort for this life-saving gift. The installation of an AED in our community centre is more than just a piece of equipment – it’s a statement that every life in Fox Hill matters. This partnership brings real, tangible safety to the space, and we thank RCOF for their continued investment in the health and well-being of our community,” said Mr Donovan Rolle, Fox Hill Community Centre Manager.
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