The Chesapeake Arts Center, 194 Hammonds Lane, recently received a donation officials say they hope never to have to use - an automatic external defibrillator, thanks to HeartSmart, the Cliff R. Roop Cardiac Support and Education Foundation.

The device in the center's Hammonds Lane Theatre is to be used by trained personnel when someone goes into cardiac arrest. For every minute that a person in cardiac arrest goes without being successfully treated by defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent, according to a statement from the center.

"Last year over 62,000 people took part in events at...