SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded grants totaling $216,000 to 121 rural government agencies and emergency medical services providers for the purchase of portable automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

"It is essential for residents in rural Illinois, where response and transportation times can be longer, to have greater access to this life-saving technology," said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director. "Having AEDs readily available in emergency, police and fire vehicles, and in more public facilities, will help save lives. In fact, prompt use of a defibrillator can more than double a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival."

Defibrillators can revive victims of sudden cardiac arrest with electrical jolts administered at precise intervals, and can stop irregular heart contractions and restore the heart's natural beating pattern.

The American Heart Association estimates that widespread availability and use of AEDs could save as many as 50,000 Americans each year.

Funding for the AEDS comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. More than 400 applications were received from emergency medical service providers, local governments and law enforcement throughout rural Illinois. Twenty-three grant recipients received money to purchase two AEDs and the remainder received money for one AED. Each grantee was provided with $1,500, the approximate amount of funding necessary to purchase an AED and to cover the cost of staff training.

A selection committee made up of representatives from the American Heart Association, the Illinois Rural Health Association, Southern Illinois University's Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, and the Illinois Department of Public Health's Center for Rural Health recommended those who should receive the AEDs.

Priority was given to first responders who had none or few AEDs and who could guarantee 24-hour availability of the AED and trained staff.

A list of grant recipients

Altona Fire Protection District, Altona
Amboy Fire Protection District, Amboy
Anna Fire Rescue, Anna (2)
Arlington Fire Department, Arlington
Ashmore Fire Protection District, Ashmore
Beaver Fire Protection District, Donovan
Beckemeyer - Wade Township Fire Protection District, Beckemeyer
Benld Fire Department, Benld
Bridgeport Fire Protection District, Bridgeport
Brown County Sheriff's Office, Mount Sterling (2)
Cairo Fire Department, Cairo
Cass County Sheriff's Office, Virginia (2)
Central Adams County Fire Department, Coatsburg (2)
Cerro Gordo Fire Protection District, Cerro Gordo
Chatsworth Fire Protection District, Chatsworth (2)
Chester Fire Department, Chester (2)
Christian County Sheriff's Office, Taylorville
Christopher Fire Department, Christopher
Cisco Fire Protection District, Cisco
City of Breese Ambulance Service, Breese (2)
City of Dallas City, Dallas City
City of Olney Fire Department, Olney (2)
Clay County Hospital Ambulance Service, Flora
Coello Volunteer Fire Department, Coello
Compton Fire Department, Compton
Concord Fire & Emergency Medical Services, Iroquois
Copperas Creek Fire Protection District, Norris
County of Alexander, Cairo (2)
Cowden First Responders, Cowden
Crescent Iroquois Fire Protection District, Crescent City
Cullom Fire Protection District, Cullom
East Dubuque Fire Department, East Dubuque
Edwards County Sheriff's Office, Albion
Effingham Fire Department, Effingham
Elber-Salem Fire Department, Salem
Elliott Fire Department, Elliott
Emington-Campus Fire Protection District, Cabery
Emmet - Chalmers Fire Protection District, Macomb
Enfield Fire Protection District, Enfield
Ewing-Northern Fire Protection District, Ewing
Fairbury Fire Department, Fairbury
Fairfield City Fire Department, Fairfield
Fairfield Rural Fire Protection District, Fairfield
Farmington Fire Department, Farmington
Flora Volunteer Fire Department, Flora
Georgetown Fire Department, Georgetown
Gillespie Fire Department, Gillespie
Golden Fire Protection District, Golden
Good Hope -Sciota Fire Protection District, Good Hope
Granville Ambulance, Granville
Hanover Community Fire Protection District, Hanover
Henderson County Sheriff's Office, Oquawka
Hettick Volunteer Fire Department, Hettick
Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department, Hillsboro (2)
Hoopeston Fire Department, Hoopeston
Hurst Volunteer Ambulance Service, Hurst
Jasper County Sheriff's Department, Newton
Keensburg Bealls Woods Volunteer Fire Department, Keensburg
Kenney Fire Protection District, Kenney
LaHarpe Fire Protection District, La Harpe (2)
LaSalle County Sheriff's Office, Ottawa
Lawrence Allison Fire Protection District, Lawrenceville (2)
Lee County Sheriff's Department, Dixon (2)
Lena Fire Protection District, Lena
Lewistown Fire Protection District, Lewistown (2)
Liberty Fire Protection District, Liberty (2)
Lincoln Fire Department, Lincoln
Livingston County Sheriff Department, Pontiac
London Mills Fire and Rescue, London Mills
Lynch Area Fire Protection District, Danville
Lynn-Scott-Rock Fire Protection District, Lindenwood
Malden Fire Protection District, Malden
Marion County Ambulance Inc., Odin
Marshall Fire Protection District Ambulance & Rescue Services, Marshall
Mason City Fire Department, Mason City
Massac County Fire Protection District, Metropolis (2)
Massac Memorial Ambulance Hospital, Metropolis
Mercy Regional Emergency Health Services, Benton (2)
Meredosia Fire Protection District, Meredosia
Mid-Piatt Fire Protection District, White Health
Mount Carmel Fire Department, Mount Carmel
Nokomis-Witt Rescue Squad, Nokomis (2)
Pittsburg Volunteer Fire Department, Pittsburg
Pittsfield Volunteer Fire Department, Pittsfield
Pope County Volunteer Ambulance Service, Golconda
Pulaski County Ambulance, Mounds (2)
QEM Fire Protection District, Elsah (2)
Ramsey Fire Protection District, Ramsey
Randolph County Sheriff's Office, Chester (2)
Raritan Fire District, Raritan
Rio Fire Protection District, Rio
Rutland Fire Protection District, Rutland
Schuyler County Ambulance Service, Rushville
Shawnee Town Fire Department, Shawneetown
Shelby County Sheriff Department, Shelbyville
Shelbyville Fire Department, Shelbyville (2)
South Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, South Jacksonville
Sparta Fire Department, Sparta
Spring Creek Fire Protection District, Nebo
Stewardson Fire Department, Stewardson
Taylor Springs Fire Department, Taylor Springs
Thomson Fire Protection District, Thomson
Tonica Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Tonica
Tri-County Fire Protection District, Plymouth
Villa Grove Ambulance Service, Villa Grove
Village of Yale/Yale Volunteer Fire Department, Yale
Wade Community Fire Protection District, Newton
Waltonville Fire Protection District, Waltonville
Warren Area Ambulance, Warren
Watseka Volunteer Fire Department, Watseka
Watson Fire Protection District, Watson
Wayne City Ambulance Service, Wayne City
Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Fairfield (2)
Wellington-Greer Fire Protection District, Wellington
West Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department, West Brooklyn
West Point Fire Department, West Point
White County Ambulance Service, Carmi
Wilsonville Volunteer Fire Department, Wilsonville
Winslow Volunteer Fire Protection District, Winslow
Woodson Fire Protection District, Woodson
Zeigler Fire Department, Zeigler