Email: iowaheartsafe@gmail.com
Location: Johnson County, Iowa, IA 52245
Dr. Kerber
Honoring Dr. Richard E. Kerber's Legacy of Saving Lives
Richard E. Kerber, MD (1936–2016), dedicated his career to advancing heart care, improving emergency response, and helping research become real-world care that benefits entire communities.
He was a pioneering physician-scientist, educator, and longtime faculty member in the University of Iowa Health Care Division of Cardiology for more than 45 years. Dr. Kerber also played a leading role in developing the American Heart Association CPR guidelines, the worldwide standard for life-saving resuscitation care.
His work helped shape public access defibrillation programs that place AEDs in communities so bystanders can respond when every second counts.
Dr. Kerber
Continuing His Mission
In 2017, the Richard E. Kerber HeartSafe Initiative was launched to expand CPR training and increase access to AEDs across the University of Iowa campus. The initiative focused on training faculty and staff in non-medical buildings while improving AED visibility and accessibility.
That same vision inspired the launch of the Rotary-Kerber HeartSafe Community Campaign in 2019, funded by a Rotary grant.
Today, the campaign continues Dr. Kerber’s mission by expanding CPR awareness, increasing access to AEDs, and helping more people feel prepared to save a life in the Iowa City and Coralville communities.
Heart Safe Designation
Our Community
Johnson County, Iowa Is Officially a HeartSafe Community
When a cardiac emergency happens, every second matters. That’s why communities across Johnson County came together to improve emergency preparedness and help save lives.
On January 10, 2023, Johnson County, Iowa was officially designated a HeartSafe Community through the Citizen CPR Foundation. At that time, we became only the 4th county in the nation to receive the designation
This recognition was made possible through the efforts of many dedicated individuals and organizations, including the Rotary-Kerber HeartSafe Community Campaign, Johnson County Ambulance Service, Johnson County Supervisors, and communities throughout the county such as Coralville, Iowa City, North Liberty, Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, Solon & University Heights.
Together, they worked to strengthen access to CPR training, emergency response resources, and life-saving awareness across the county.