In a feel-good tale of community partnership and lifesaving tech, the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) has recently donated an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to the non-profit group Let's Go Fishing, as part of the Hearts on Duty program. This program, an initiative set forth by medical technologies firm Stryker, ensures that the beat of life does not falter when met with cardiac distress.
The donation was made possible thanks to a robust $18.8 million grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust to the University of Minnesota's Center for Resuscitation Medicine. This grant funds the Minnesota AED Project, aiming to equip law enforcement agencies across Minnesota with these lifesaving devices. EPPD was a beneficiary, receiving 25 AEDs to suit up each of their squad cars. The initiative enabled the EPPD to be prepared to quickly and effectively swoop in and save a life when a resident suffered a cardiac event in March 2023.
Following the successful use of the device, EPPD's story was submitted to Stryker, subsequently being selected in a lottery by the U of M's Center for Resuscitation Medicine. The result: an AED was kindly donated to Let's Go Fishing, a group that had previously been without such advanced medical equipment on board their vessels. Let’s Go Fishing is recognized for their vital work in the community, often hosting the EPPD's Cops and Bobbers event, fostering relationships between officers and youth while providing life-enriching experiences to seniors, veterans, and disabled persons.
According to a statement obtained by the Eden Prairie official website, "The EPPD received 25 of those AEDs – one for each of our squad cars." And now, thanks to their diligent efforts and Stryker's Hearts on Duty program, Let's Go Fishing has an AED to ensure the safety of their participants. The group annually impacts the lives of thousands, with its 130 volunteers providing as many as 3,000-4,000 seniors, veterans, youths, and disabled individuals with memorable fishing expeditions on Lake Riley.
The donation was celebrated with a photo op that included key individuals from the partnership: Madison Nelson of the U of M Center for Resuscitation Medicine; EPPD Officer Noah Stave; Steve Wilson and Mike Gruidl from Let's Go Fishing. This gesture not only underscores the value of community engagement but also the profound potential for local organizations to literally save lives through collaborative approaches to public health and safety.
