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The American Heart Association is honoring Florida for its efforts to save people who suffer heart attacks.

The association presented an award to the state health department for promoting the use of AEDs or Automated External Defibrillators. AEDs are portable and can save lives if used during the first few minutes of a heart attack. Bob O’Kelley said an AED saved his life. A year ago O’Kelley had a heart attack while playing tennis.

“My tennis buddies performed CPR. One called 9-1-1, one called my wife and another went to the club house to get the AED. A doctor and four lifeguards bring in the AED and rushed out to my court. The doctor organized things on the court, and one of the lifeguards used the AED. It brought me back to life. Needless to say, I would not be here without the AED,” said O’Kelley

The survival rate decreases by ten percent every minute a heart attack patient goes without treatment. The American Heart Association says if more businesses had defibrillators hundreds of lives would be saved every year.