Hospital leaders volunteer at local nonprofit and announce lifesaving donation for the community in need

HCA Florida Brandon Hospital's leadership team recently volunteered at ECHO of Brandon, a long-standing nonprofit partner located just minutes from the hospital. During the visit, the team delivered nearly 1,000 pounds of rice and beans to support ECHO's food pantry and helped portion and bag the staples for community members in need.

The volunteer effort strengthened an already close partnership between the hospital and ECHO and also served as the backdrop for an important announcement. Hospital leaders shared that HCA Florida Brandon Hospital is investing in and donating two automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to ECHO, with one unit designated for the Brandon location and another for Riverview.

The need for AEDs became clear during a recent training session in which the hospital's ER nursing and education team taught ECHO staff hands-only CPR and first aid. While providing the training, the team identified that neither ECHO location had an AED available on-site. As a hospital recognized for its cardiac care, the Brandon Hospital team acted quickly to help close that gap and ensure ECHO is equipped to respond during an emergency.

"Supporting ECHO means supporting our community," said the Anna Hendrix, manager of HCA Florida Riverview Emergency. "We value this partnership and want to make sure the staff has the resources needed to protect the people they serve. These AEDs can make a lifesaving difference."

The AEDs will be installed in the coming months. Once in place, the hospital's clinical team will return to provide training that prepares ECHO staff to use the devices confidently.

ECHO of Brandon offers emergency food, clothing, resource referrals and support to residents facing crisis situations. HCA Florida Brandon Hospital and ECHO continue to work together to improve the health and well-being of the community.