Founded in 2002 by David Hiltz and Michael Aries, HEARTSafe spread organically and is now considered open-source freeware available to anyone with no permission needed.

The HEARTSafe Community concept works by creating criteria that support a “Cardiac Chain of Survival” which includes factors such as bystander recognition, response, CPR, AED use, first responder care, and hospital involvement.

In September 2022, retired paramedic Steve Stegeman, who had a vision of creating a safer place for people to live, asked the Holland Fire Department to be the lead agency in creating a HeartSafe Community in Holland.

For the next almost 2 years, a dedicated team representing the Holland Fire Department, Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority, Holland Hospital, American Medical Response, Ottawa County Department of Public Health, City of Holland, Holland Rotary Charities, Evergreen Commons, Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, and the Jim Jurries Foundation spent countless hours training, educating, and empowering the community on the criticality of early intervention CPR and AED use in cardiac arrest situations. The team also met monthly at the Kollen Park Fire Station to complete the 13 criteria needed in order to become a HEARTSafe Community.

Today, HEARTSafe Holland continues to ask the community to join us in saving more lives. Join us for a free one-hour hands-only CPR training, or meet us at one of the many events we attend throughout the year in Holland.