McLaren Foundation donates $25K, AEDs to Grand Ledge Fire Department

GRAND LEDGE, Mich. — The McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation has donated $25,000 for 10 automated external defibrillators to the Grand Ledge Fire Department in an effort to help the community become heart-safe.

The donation is intended to strengthen emergency response capabilities and expand access to potentially lifesaving care throughout the community.

An AED is a portable device that analyzes the heartbeat and can deliver potentially life-saving electric shocks.

Becoming a heart-safe community means proactive steps are being taken to protect people from heart attacks or sudden cardiac arrests. The 10 AEDs will be installed around the community for anyone to use.

“There’s only two cities in the state of Michigan that are HEARTSafe communities. Two,” said Michael Roman, Grand Ledge fire chief.

Roman is hoping his community can become the third heart-safe community in Michigan. It takes a 13-step process, which includes CPR training and access to AEDs.

“So we need 15% of our population in Grand Ledge trained in CPR, and it’s hands-only CPR...and the second thing is putting an AED in locations within 3 minutes walking distance, or running distance of our city,” Roman said.

The donation will help equip locations across Grand Ledge with AEDs to support faster response times during cardiac emergencies.

The new machines can offer potentially life-saving help when someone has a heart attack or falls into sudden cardiac arrest. Roman said in those situations, a faster response can save someone’s brain and muscle.

“Supporting the health and safety of our community extends far beyond the walls of our hospital and clinics,” said Lynn Griffor, McLaren Greater Lansing chief experience officer and vice president of philanthropy. “We are proud to support Grand Ledge and the fire department, whose teams serve on the front lines of emergency response every day. These resources can make a meaningful difference when moments matter most, and we are grateful to assist.”

A person does not have to be a medical professional to use an AED.

“You pretty much get into the cabinet, get the AED, open it up, and it talks to you,” Roman said.

Roman said people should call 911 when they use an AED.

“Our dispatch can actually say, ‘hey, first and second street, there’s an AED, start CPR, and send someone to get the AED,’” Roman said.

The Grand Ledge Fire Department offers in-house instructors who teach community members how to use AEDs in emergency situations.

Roman said that because they are in the early stages of this process, they have not yet decided on where the machines will be.

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