To mark World Restart-a-Heart Day, observed annually on October 16, the Municipality of Rhodes organized an awareness and hands-on training event for its employees, focusing on the immediate response to cardiac arrest and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
The training session took place on Friday, October 16, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Rhodes City Hall. It was organized by the Quality and Education Office of Rhodes Hospital, in collaboration with the volunteer instructor team “Save a Life – Many for One,” led by Dr. Panagiotis Papantoniou.
During the training, basic knowledge and practical guidelines were presented regarding:
- Cardiac arrest and how to recognize its key signs.
- The immediate actions required in the event of cardiac arrest.
- The importance of immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- The operation and safe use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
- The practical application of the basic steps for responding to an incident.
The mayor of Rhodes, Alexandros Koliadis, also attended the event. At the end of the event, the president of the Association of Symians of Rhodes “O GLAUKOS,” Sotiris Zouroudis, in the presence of members of the board of directors, presented an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) as a donation to the Municipality of Rhodes. The defibrillator will be installed at the Rhodes Municipal Theater, enhancing the venue’s equipment with a vital tool for the immediate treatment of cardiac arrest incidents, and it can also be transported to the “Rodon” summer outdoor cinema.
Also present at the event were the president of the Rhodes City Council, Kyriakos Kasapis; the deputy mayor for Communications and acting deputy mayor for Culture, Georgios Pattas; as well as the municipality’s Secretary General, Evangelia Nika, who took the initiative to organize the event.
World Restart-a-Heart Day serves as an important reminder that a timely response can play a decisive role until specialized medical assistance arrives. Through this initiative, the Municipality of Rhodes is investing in prevention, awareness, and strengthening the preparedness of its workforce, while also highlighting the importance of first aid training and responding to life-threatening situations.
