The Massachusetts Nurses Association regional council kicked off the automatic external defibrillators for life program with a $500 donation to Martha’s Vineyard VFW Post 9261.

The new program was started to help purchase AEDs for nonprofit organizations that have 25 or more members. At an event at the VFW last summer, a patron suffered a non -fatal cardiac arrest at the post. The post leadership felt that since they have had two previous such events, that they wanted to have an AED on premises. They purchased an AED and started a drive to offset the cost.

Rick Lambos, an emergency room nurse at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital was present and assisted with the resuscitation that day last summer. He thought the state nursing association could help and brought the idea to the regional council. The idea was approved.