Jumpstart a Heart: AEDs for Marquette County

Over 15 years ago a collaboration of entities rallied and graciously funded new Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) for use by Marquette County Law Enforcement.  These AEDs have served our community well, including the Officers and First Responders who were called to many cardiac emergencies. Because these units are now near or have passed their life expectancy, they no longer provide the reliability they once offered, and we need your help to update them!

 Why replace them now?

·         The current units are no longer 100% compatible with the technology employed by EMS units, causing some lack in continuity in care as well as difficulty finding replacement batteries.
·         New devices will be compatible with advanced lifesaving equipment found on EMS vehicles; when an Officer responds to a cardiac event and utilizes the AED, arriving medics simply hook their machine up to the pads already on the patient, causing no pause to the care being received.
·         The updated equipment will include updated and fully compatible infant/juvenile pads.
·         The new equipment will include two trainer AED units.  Hands-on and up-to-date training is an integral part of carrying an AED on patrol. The trainer units allow for instruction and practice to be offered locally, keeping costs down and allowing all officers to attend. 

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to help JUMPSTART A HEART!


The most important qualities in AED units for Law Enforcement are durability, life expectancy, availability of training, ease of use, and compatibility with equipment/technology of responding medical units. Realizing there was a need for new AED units for Sheriff’s Departments as well as other county departments, Sheriff Zyburt requested assistance from Tom Flynn from UPHS EMS to determine the most appropriate model. Guidance was also provided by Corporal Brian Kurin of the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office who is also part of Rescue 131. To fulfill the large number of units needed, we are working closely with a medical supply company that has served the medical and law enforcement entities of Marquette County for many years. 

Your donation will go directly towards purchasing 38 AED units that will be donated to the departments that requested them: Forsyth Township Police, Negaunee Police, Chocolay Township Police, Marquette City Police, Marquette County Sheriff’s Office Patrol, Michigan State Police Negaunee Post, Rescue 131, and Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET).

These AED units, combined with proper training, can aid those in crisis in every age category and every area of the county, providing peace of mind to residents and visitors alike.  In a cardiac emergency, seconds count.