Every police car in Ripley, Franklin Co. will soon have an AED

(BATESVILLE, Ind.) – Every police car in Ripley and Franklin County will soon be equipped with a life-saving medical device. 

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can be the difference between survival and death when someone experiences a cardiac emergency. 

The Ripley County Community Foundation (RCCF) has led an initiative to get AEDs in the back of each patrol car in two counties. 

It has become a reality thanks to a $75,000 grant from Margaret Mary Health and The Christ Hospital Health network. 

The initiative also received a $25,000 contribution from the Ripley County Health Department, two $19,500 donations from Cintas and ZOLL Medical and a $15,000 donation from the City of Batesville. 

Local police departments are expected to have the AED’s in patrol cars next month. 

An AED and prompt CPR can double the chances of survival when someone is suffering cardiac arrest and those emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime.

The mother of a South Dearborn cheerleader suffered a cardiac emergency during a basketball game in January 2024. 

The quick actions of South Dearborn athletic trainer Jake Steinmetz, along with an AED that was nearby, helped save the woman's life.