NORMAL — To bolster emergency preparedness, Alabama A&M University and Cardiac Solutions have partnered to install more than 200 automated external defibrillators on campus.
The initiative improves access to life-saving equipment and makes AAMU one of the most prepared campuses in the nation for sudden cardiac arrest medical emergencies. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, fewer than 10 % of U.S. college campuses have more than 100 AEDs – placing Alabama A&M well above the national standard.
The average response time for first responders to arrive following a 911 call is eight to 12 minutes, according to the American Red Cross. For those in cardiac arrest, each minute without defibrillation drops their chance of survival by around 10%.
With the deployment of the units, which began in 2024, Alabama A&M has 220 AEDs on campus.
“To give you an idea of the impact – prior to our campus-wide assessment and this new initiative, we had just three working AED units on campus,” said Life Safety Compliance Specialist Melvin E. Lewis. “So, this is a game-changer for keeping students, faculty, staff, and visitors safe on campus.”
According to the American Heart Association, cardiac arrest claims the lives of 436,000 Americans each year. Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. Use of an AED can increase the chance even further.
“If an emergency happens on campus, chances are you are close to an AED,” said Lewis. “We’ve strategically placed the boxes near elevators in multi-level buildings to make it easy for campus community members to remember where they’re located. Most buildings also have boxes located externally.”
The initiative does not stop with campus buildings.
All Bulldog Transit vehicles are also equipped with AEDs along with Louis Crews Stadium and other outdoor athletics facilities. The A&M Department of Public Safety vehicles are also equipped with AED units.
“Alabama A&M is the first HBCU we’ve worked with,” says Cardiac Solutions Consultant John Powe. “We’re excited about this becoming a model for the kind of impacts we can make on other campuses.”
The new partnership represents a $86,000 in-kind donation as part of Alabama A&M’s ongoing 150th anniversary campaign.
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