SISTERS, OR -- Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the U.S. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District has awarded grants to six area businesses and a church to purchase devices that could save the life of a heart attack victim.

Fire Chief Roger Johnson says the agency's program helps the businesses buy an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). "The fire district provided about 25% of the cost; we’ll also provide the training and if they use the device then we’ll replace any of the materials used." He tells KBND News the grants were awarded to large employers and companies with lots of foot-traffic, "The devices cost about a thousand dollars, and the fire department contributed $250 to the purchase, so it’s still a significant contribution from the business community to the program. We’re pretty excited that we had this many of them actually want to participate and partner in the program with us."

Chief Johnson says the new AEDs are part of a multi-pronged approach in Sisters, which also includes use of the PulsePoint mobile app to notify those trained in CPR of a nearby cardiac emergency. "If we have a community that’s trained, we have AEDs spread throughout the community, we have people on PulsePoint, we’ve got advanced life support ambulances; you know, the total picture starts to become pretty clear that the chance of surviving cardiac arrest is very good in a community that’s equipped like that and trained like that."

The new AED units should be in place within the next 30 days.