When a cardiac crisis occurs, seconds matter. That’s why HeartSaver exists.
The 11-year-old program funds and distributes automated external defibrillators to organizations in a 13-county area of Southwestern Indiana, Western Kentucky, and Southeastern Illinois. At $1,650, AEDs are no small purchase, but the shocks they administer to people experiencing a heart emergency often can save lives. The most recent donation on Aug. 14 placed another 50 AEDs into local hands, bringing the total of awarded devices to 988.
“When we began this effort in 2014, we thought if we placed 50 AEDs, we would have enough in the community. Imagine our shock when we learned that figure barely scratched the surface of the need,” HeartSaver committee chair Kirsten Wagmeister told Evansville Living in the January/February 2025 issue.
More than thirty agencies — from attractions like Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden and nonprofits like SWIRCA & More, to sports groups like the Youth Soccer Leagues in Huntingburg, Indiana — were handed AEDs on Aug. 14, plus complimentary training by Deaconess Health System. Devices are equipped with clear instructions and system-based checks, so anyone — trained or not — can safely use them. Due to a long battery life, AEDs can administer up to 300 shocks.
Mallory Ladd was one recipient of this HeartSaver donation cycle. The Newburgh Police Department officer was picking up her second AED, this time through her work as the school resource officer for St. John the Baptist Catholic School.
“I’m all about safety, whether it’s medical, fire or the police world of crime,” she says. “I was so proud to see everybody here from all different types of organizations. I can tell you firsthand that this is self-explanatory and you’ll be able to use it under pressure.”
Ladd’s determination is influenced by her own medical emergency. Five years ago, she unexpectedly suffered a cardiac incident at a wedding in Spencer County, Indiana. First responders who were also guests treated her and got her to the hospital. While she survived without an AED, she acknowledges that having a device can mean the difference between life and death. “So, I take this baby everywhere, even inside my house,” Ladd says. “This whole thing is dear to my heart, literally.”
Wagmeister agrees, saying the advanced technology so that anyone can use an AED makes it a worthwhile investment. “AEDs are more expensive now, but how do you put a price tag on a life?” she says. “You can’t — it’s priceless. This is a miracle in a box.”
