University of Marília and Castelo Branco boost AED training programs

The University of Marília (Unimar) in Brazil installed a new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on campus and conducted a training program for security staff, members of the Internal Accident Prevention Commission and other employees. The course, led by medical professor Thais Erika Giaxa Medeiros, taught participants how to recognize cardiac arrest, follow emergency protocols and operate the device, aiming to reduce response times and improve survival chances for students, faculty and visitors.

In Portugal, the municipality of Castelo Branco, through its Civil Protection Service, offered eight free certified courses in Basic Life Support and AED use to public‑school educators and municipal employees. The initiative certified 42 new trainees, adding to a network of 23 community AEDs and 407 people already certified. Locations such as the Civic Center, Praça Rainha Dona Leonor and the bus terminal now have trained personnel ready to respond quickly to cardiac emergencies, enhancing public safety across schools and public spaces.