The Lincoln-Lancaster County Emergency Management Agency Director says the county has received dozens of portable AED’s, thanks to a generous donation. “Late last year I got an inquiry from a representative of Google in Council Bluffs, Iowa that said they were replacing the AED’s they had on site and were looking for a good home for up to as many as fifty,” Jim Davidsaver told county commissioners on Tuesday.
Board members approved an agreement between Emergency Management and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department to place those AED’s in rural parts of the county. “Primarily, our volunteer fire departments throughout Lancaster County would be interested in accessing one of these AED’s,” Davidsaver says.
“They’ve been checked, they’ve been refurbished, they’ve been issued new batteries.” Gina Egenberger is the Emergency Response Coordinator with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department and says they have already received requests from the fire departments to place 33 of the portable devices.
“We’ve got everything from convenience stores and bars and Branched Oak Lake.” Egenberger says it’s important that the AED’S remain in the least populated areas of the county. ” Mainly because we know those areas where it might take a little longer for our rescue teams to get to people.”
Engenberger says she will work with anyone who has a need for an AED.