Honolulu-based training provider, Defib Hawaii, launches a Kapolei-focused CPR access initiative aimed at bringing lifesaving knowledge closer to West Oʻahu residents.
Honolulu, HI (PRUnderground) September 15th, 2026
Defib Hawaii is expanding its CPR, ACLS, and Basic Life Support outreach in Kapolei and West Oʻahu with a new initiative focused on helping more residents learn what to do during the critical first minutes of a medical emergency.
The Kapolei CPR Access Initiative is designed for residents, healthcare professionals, students, employers and community organizations that may find it difficult or inconvenient to travel into urban Honolulu for training.
Defib Hawaii will use its new Kapolei CPR and BLS resource to help West Oʻahu residents identify appropriate training options while increasing awareness of onsite and locally arranged group-training opportunities in the Kapolei area.
According to the American Heart Association, immediate CPR can double or triple a person's chance of surviving cardiac arrest. The organization also reports that most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in homes rather than hospitals or public spaces.
"CPR is not meant to replace paramedics or emergency medical care. It is what someone can do in the minutes before professional help takes over," said Syrina Rostash, Founder and COO of Defib Hawaii. "We want more families, employees and healthcare students in Kapolei to feel capable of taking that first action instead of feeling like lifesaving training is something they have to travel into downtown Honolulu to access."
Building More Trained Bystanders in West Oʻahu
Honolulu Emergency Medical Services provides emergency medical care across Oʻahu and responds to more than 95,000 calls in 2025. Leeward Oʻahu is served through an EMS district covering a large geographic area that includes Kapolei, Makakilo, ʻEwa Beach, Waiʻanae, Nānākuli, Waipahu, Pearl City, and other communities.
The goal of Defib Hawaii's Kapolei initiative is not to replace that emergency-response system. It is to increase the number of people who know how to recognize an emergency, call 911, begin CPR, and use an AED while professional responders are on the way.
Bringing CPR Training Closer to Kapolei Residents
Defib Hawaii's regularly scheduled individual certification classes are currently held at its Honolulu training center at 1314 S. King Street.
For some West Oʻahu residents, however, commuting into Honolulu for training can create a practical barrier.
The new Kapolei-focused initiative will emphasize local access through private, workplace, and community group training opportunities in Kapolei when scheduling, course requirements, and group size allow.
Kapolei businesses, schools, healthcare offices, fitness facilities, childcare organizations, community groups and other organizations can contact Defib Hawaii to discuss training closer to their location.
A Different Healthcare Landscape Than Urban Honolulu
Kapolei has a growing network of primary and urgent-care services, but hospital-based emergency care for West Oʻahu is concentrated outside the immediate Kapolei city center.
The Queen's Medical Center - West Oʻahu in ʻEwa Beach provides a 24-hour emergency department serving Central and West Oʻahu. Patients who require the highest level of trauma care may be connected with The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Oʻahu's Level I Trauma Center.
Defib Hawaii believes that geographic differences in access reinforce the value of residents knowing what to do before a patient reaches a hospital.
CPR Training for Kapolei Healthcare Professionals and Students
The initiative also focuses on healthcare professionals and students living in Kapolei who need current certifications for employment, school or clinical placement.
Defib Hawaii offers separate BLS pathways for initial certification, renewal, and students completing applicable HeartCode training.
Advanced healthcare professionals can also access ACLS, PALS, and selected combination training options.
Expanding CPR Knowledge Beyond Urban Honolulu
Defib Hawaii says the longer-term objective is to make CPR education more visible throughout West Oʻahu rather than concentrating awareness and training opportunities primarily around Honolulu.
The company plans to use partnerships with businesses, schools, healthcare organizations, and community groups to reach more Kapolei residents where they live and work.
Organizations interested in hosting CPR, AED, First Aid, or healthcare-provider training in Kapolei can contact Defib Hawaii to discuss available group-training options.
About Defib Hawaii
Defib Hawaii is a Honolulu-based CPR and emergency cardiovascular care training provider serving healthcare professionals, students, businesses, schools, and community organizations throughout Oʻahu.
The company provides BLS, ACLS, PALS, PEARS, ASLS, Heartsaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and related training. The company regularly holds individual classes at its Honolulu classroom, and offers private and onsite group training by request for eligible organizations throughout Oʻahu.
Defib Hawaii was formally launched in 2023 by Syrina and Mark Rostash. Its instructor team includes professionals with backgrounds in nursing, emergency medical services, advanced practice care, and other clinical settings.
Contact
Syrina Rostash
Founder & COO
Defib Hawaii
1314 S. King Street, Suite 606
Honolulu, HI 96814
Phone: (808) 479-8993
Email: info@cprtraininghawaii.com
