From July 23–25, 2026, my husband and business partner, Travis Smith, and I had the privilege of representing CPR Choice at the National CPR & AED Awareness Rally and March in Washington, D.C.

The event, coordinated by Every Second Counts CPR, brought together cardiac arrest survivors, advocates, CPR instructors, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, community organizations, and industry leaders from across the country. Everyone was united by the same goal: increasing CPR education, expanding access to AEDs, and helping more people feel prepared to act when a cardiac emergency occurs.

As co-owners of CPR Choice, Travis and I have built our business around lifesaving education. It was incredibly meaningful to experience this event together and participate in a national movement focused on a mission that is so important to both of us.

Teaching Hands-Only CPR and AED Use

One of the most rewarding parts of the event was helping members of the public practice Hands-Only CPR and learn how to use an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

Participants practiced chest compressions on CPR manikins while instructors helped them improve their hand placement, compression depth, and technique. We also showed participants that AEDs are designed to guide rescuers through each step using clear visual and voice prompts.

Many people hesitate during an emergency because they are afraid of doing something wrong. Events like this give people an opportunity to practice in a welcoming environment and discover that they really are capable of helping save a life.

Every person who learns CPR becomes another potential lifesaver in their family, workplace, school, church, or community.

Thousands of Flags Honoring Lives Lost

One of the most powerful parts of the rally was the display of thousands of red flags near the Washington Monument. Each flag represented a life lost to sudden cardiac arrest.

Seeing the flags spread across the National Mall transformed a statistic into something visible and deeply personal. Each flag represented someone’s parent, spouse, child, friend, coworker, or neighbor.

Standing beside that display was both heartbreaking and motivating. It reminded us why immediate CPR, rapid access to an AED, stronger emergency response systems, and continued public education are so important.

We cannot bring back the lives represented by those flags, but we can honor them by working to improve survival for the next person who experiences cardiac arrest.

Connecting With Our CPR and AED Community

The rally also gave Travis and me the opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues from throughout the CPR, AED, and emergency-response community.

We enjoyed visiting the vendor fair and spending time with representatives from organizations including PRESTAN, ZOLL, Cardio Partners, and MCR Medical. These companies and their teams play an important role in supporting CPR instructors, training organizations, workplaces, schools, healthcare providers, and communities.

Although we often communicate with many of these colleagues through phone calls, email, virtual meetings, and social media, there is something special about being together in person. The event provided time to exchange ideas, explore new products, strengthen professional relationships, and celebrate the shared work being done to improve emergency preparedness.

It was also a lot of fun. CPR advocacy is serious work, but the community is filled with energetic, creative, and passionate people who know how to make education memorable.

An Evening of Fellowship and Inspiration

Travis and I also attended the event dinner, where we had the opportunity to spend additional time with survivors, educators, advocates, and leaders in the field.

The dinner provided a more personal setting to hear stories, build relationships, and reflect on the reasons so many people have dedicated their lives and careers to cardiac arrest awareness.

Some attendees were survivors because a bystander recognized what was happening and started CPR. Others were alive because an AED was nearby and used quickly. Families also attended in memory of loved ones who did not survive.

Those stories are powerful reminders that CPR education is about much more than completing a course or receiving a certification card. It is about giving someone another birthday, another holiday, another conversation, and another day with the people they love.

Meeting EMS Pioneer John Moon

One of the greatest honors of the weekend was meeting John Moon, a former Freedom House paramedic and retired assistant chief of Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Services.

John helped pioneer advanced prehospital emergency care and became one of the earliest paramedics to successfully perform endotracheal intubation in the field. He and the other Freedom House clinicians helped build the foundation of the modern EMS system while overcoming extraordinary racism, prejudice, and professional barriers.

Hearing John share his experiences was inspiring. His story reminds us that many of the lifesaving practices we now consider standard were advanced by people whose contributions were not always properly recognized.

Meeting him brought the history of CPR and emergency medicine to life, and I was honored to thank him for his service and perseverance.

Our First Experience With National CPR Advocacy

Advocacy has been an important part of my work for several years. I currently serve as Co-Chair of the American Heart Association’s State Advocacy Committee in Tennessee, where I help support efforts to strengthen CPR education, improve cardiac emergency response, and expand access to lifesaving resources.

However, this was my first opportunity to participate in CPR advocacy at the national level.

Being in Washington, D.C., surrounded by people from across the country who are working toward the same goals, was incredibly energizing. It demonstrated the impact that can be created when survivors, families, instructors, businesses, nonprofit organizations, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and advocates speak with a collective voice.

I was proud to participate, proud to represent Tennessee, and proud to represent CPR Choice alongside Travis.

The Vision Behind the Rally

The National CPR & AED Awareness Rally and March was coordinated by Ed Kosiec, founder of Every Second Counts CPR and a cardiac arrest survivor.

After surviving cardiac arrest, Ed dedicated himself to raising awareness, increasing CPR education, expanding AED access, and bringing the cardiac arrest community together. His personal experience gives the mission a powerful sense of urgency.

Organizing a multi-day national event requires tremendous commitment, coordination, and persistence. Because of Ed’s leadership, people from across the country were able to gather, share their stories, educate the public, honor lives lost, and advocate for change.

We are grateful to Ed and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make the event possible.

Every Second Truly Counts

Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere and to anyone. It can happen at home, at work, at school, on an athletic field, in a place of worship, or in a public setting.

The person standing nearby may be the victim’s best chance of survival.

That is why CPR education and AED access matter. People need to recognize cardiac arrest, call 911, begin high-quality CPR, and use an AED as soon as one becomes available.

The National CPR & AED Awareness Rally and March reinforced everything Travis and I believe about the mission of CPR Choice. Education creates confidence. Confidence leads to action. And action can save a life.

We returned home from Washington, D.C., inspired, encouraged, and even more committed to expanding CPR and AED education in Tennessee, Colorado, and the communities we serve across the country.

We were proud to stand alongside so many survivors, advocates, friends, and industry partners.

Together, we can raise awareness. Together, we can prepare more people to respond. And together, we can help create more survivors.