SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Life-saving automated external defibrillators are in ten more places in the Springfield area. A donation from the Mike McGraw family placed ten AED’s in churches and other community organizations.

“I think in health care overall,” said Mitch Rogers, director of operations at HSHS Prairie Cardiovascular, “we need to do a better job of not just providing these types of equipment, but educating people. People need to know the numbers. When I say numbers, their results as far as their blood pressure, what a healthy diet looks like, your (cholesterol). All those are important numbers in order to provide the patient with important information to really get a good sense of their health.”

“You’re going to call 9-1-1” when someone has a cardiac arrest, said Greg Chance, MedicsFirst regional CEO. “But we also realize it takes time for that ambulance to get there in a timely manner.”

The organizations receiving the devices are:

  • Bible Chapel Community Church
  • Celebration Community Church
  • Mary Bryant Home Association
  • Southern View Police Department
  • Springfield First SDA Church
  • Springfield Shamrocks Baseball & Softball Organization
  • St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
  • Unity Christian School
  • Warrensburg Boys Travel Baseball
  • Zion Lutheran Church and School