NEWS RELEASE – September 18, 2025
ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities Donates AED’s to Martin County Health Department
Inez, KY — The ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities has donated 
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to the Martin County Health Department, giving local staff lifesaving tools they can use in an emergency.
AEDs are simple but powerful devices that can restore a person’s heartbeat during sudden cardiac arrest. Having them on hand means Martin County residents have a stronger safety net close to home.
“Every second matters when someone goes into cardiac arrest,” said Angela Bailey, Executive Director of the ARH Foundation. “We want to make sure the communities we serve have the right tools in the right hands when they’re needed most. Partnering with the Martin County Health Department is just one more way we can help build and maintain healthier communities.”
The AEDs were presented at the Martin County Harvest Fest, where Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) also had its mobile clinic present. The ARH Mobile Clinic travels throughout underserved areas in eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia, providing essential services including primary care, health screenings, physical exams, chronic disease management, and education.
“We are thankful for healthcare partners like ARH and the ARH Foundation who bring quality care right here to our community and make things like this possible,” said Eric Mills, Public Health Director at the Martin County Health Department. “We believe in caring for the whole person and improving health for all our neighbors. These AEDs give us another way to respond when minutes matter and to continue supporting the overall wellness of our community,” he continued.
The ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities works to further healthcare, education, and community involvement across Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia. The AED donation is part of ARH’s ongoing commitment to investing in local communities and promoting healthier communities.
To support initiatives like this, visit www.ARH.org/donate.
Photo attached: Eric Mills, Public Health Director at Martin County Health Department and Angela Bailey, Executive Director for the ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies and medical spas. ARH employs approximately 6,700 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $474 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 1,300 providers on staff across its multi-state system. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.