Mercy Donates AEDs to Area Schools, Churches, Non-Profit Organizations

Mercy Medical Center is donating Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to 10 area schools, churches and community organizations in the coming days, bringing the number of AEDs the hospital has donated to 73 since the program began in 2014.

AEDs are portable devices that check heart rhythm and treat Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  When needed, an AED can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. The AEDs will be placed in readily accessible locations at each site to be used in case of an emergency.

The AED donation program at Mercy is designed to equip local non-profits demonstrating financial need with the life-saving devices.  The non-profits must also exhibit a need for AED coverage for their facility and participate in an application process. 

Presentation of the AEDs will take place at the following times and locations in Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities:

Tuesday, Dec. 3:

1. 8:30 a.m. – La Salle Center, 3700 1^st Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids
2. 10 a.m. – St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 4700 Johnson Ave., NW, Cedar Rapids
3. 11:40 a.m. – Hawkeye Area Council, 4521 Boy Scout Rd., Central City
4. 1:30 p.m. – St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 120 5^th St. NW, Cedar Rapids
5. 2:30 p.m. – His Hands Free Clinic, 400 12^th St. SE, Cedar Rapids
6. 3:30 p.m. – United Parish Church, 208 3rd St. N., Coggon

Friday, Dec. 6:

7. 3:30 p.m. – St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1420 Walker St., Ely 

Monday, Dec. 9:

 8. 1 p.m. – Alburnett High School, 131 Roosevelt St., Alburnett

Tuesday, Dec. 10:

9. 9 a.m. – St. Isidore Church, 603 6^th Ave., S., Springville
10. 10:15 a.m. – Isaac Newton Christian Academy, 1635 Linmar Dr. NE, Cedar Rapids

Mercy is partnering with ThinkSafe, based in Cedar Rapids, to make the AEDs available for donation.

According to the American Heart Association, SCA is a major cause of death in the United States, contributing to more than 300,000 deaths annually and accounting for about 50 percent of all cardiovascular deaths.  A key to fighting SCA is defibrillation (use of an AED) within a very short period of time from the onset of SCA.