The Flagler Beach Volunteer Fire Association has received a $20,000 donation in memory of the late Mark Hietpas. The money will go toward the purchase of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to be made available in five locations across Flagler Beach.
67-year-old Mark Hietpas was swimming in the British Virgin Islands in 2024 when a rip current took him out further from the shoreline. Rescuers were able to pull a conscious Hietpas from the water, but he lost consciousness over the course of the rescue.
Guests of the resort Hietpas and his wife were attending used an AED to attempt to resuscitate Hietpas, but they were unsuccessful due to the amount of time that had passed. Hietpas’s widow Susan Smith has become a champion of the lifesaving potential of AED devices, and has raised tens of thousands of dollars to fund their availability in her late husband’s memory.
A presentation of $20,000 to the Flagler Beach Volunteer Fire Association was held at City Hall, with Smith in attendance. “Every year, AEDs used by bystanders save over 1,700 lives—often within just minutes when every second truly matters,” she said. “Ensuring these devices are widely available not only honors Mark’s memory, but strengthens the safety of our entire community.”
Flagler Beach Mayor Patti King was among those in attendance to receive the donation. “We are deeply grateful to Susan and to everyone who helped make this possible,” King said.
Once deployed, the AED units will be placed in ‘high-traffic or high-need areas’. This will be planned in coordination with the Flagler Beach Fire Department so that first responders have the most immediate access to the devices during emergencies. More details on the placement of the AEDs are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Chris Gollon is a Flagler County resident since 2004, as well as a staple of the local independent music scene and avid observer of Central Florida politics, arts, and recreation.
