Mayor Rick Blangiardi Honors Pamela Foster with Proclamation

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Mayor of Honolulu, Rick Blangiardi, has officially declared October 20 as “Pamela Foster Day” to honor her extensive efforts in enhancing CPR training and increasing the availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Foster, a registered nurse, established the AED Institute of America in 2004, which has successfully distributed over 10,000 AEDs and educated tens of thousands in CPR annually.

In 2006, she initiated Operation Stay’N Alive with the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation Airports Division, which has expanded to 13 airports across six islands. “More than 86 individuals experiencing cardiac arrest have been saved thanks to the AED program at our airports,” said Foster, who noted a recent save just that morning at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Additionally, she founded the Hawaiʻi Heart Foundation in 2010, providing complimentary CPR training to over 200,000 elementary students. Mayor Blangiardi emphasized the importance of fostering readiness in emergency situations, highlighting Foster’s dedication to community health.