A donation of four Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health has boosted emergency preparedness at Franklin & Marshall College.

Representatives from Penn Medicine visited campus this week to deliver the new AEDs, which will replace and modernize units previously carried in campus safety patrol vehicles. AEDs are portable lifesaving devices designed to analyze a person’s heart rhythm and, when necessary, deliver a controlled electrical shock to help restore a normal heartbeat during sudden cardiac arrest.

The College has 32 AEDs in strategic places across campus, from athletic facilities to academic buildings.

“We are incredibly grateful to Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health for this generous donation,” said Dan Kahler, F&M’s director of environmental health, safety and risk management. “Our campus safety officers are often the first to arrive at the scene of medical emergencies. Equipping every patrol vehicle with a modern AED enhances our ability to provide rapid, potentially lifesaving care while emergency medical services are en route.”

Representatives from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health visited campus to donate new AEDs to the College. From left, F&M Chief of Police Jonathan Rosnick, Director of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management Dan Kahler, Penn Medicine EMS Prevention Manager Andy Rennie, Penn Medicine Executive Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute Joe Iandolo, and AED Brands Manager April Dubin.

Andy Rennie, Penn Medicine’s EMS prevention, education and outreach manager, said the AEDs will benefit both the College and the surrounding community. The AEDs will be registered with PulsePoint, a free public safety platform that connects people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest with the nearest publicly accessible AED. 

“If someone experiences cardiac arrest on Race Avenue, all PulsePoint registrants within a half-mile radius will be alerted,” Rennie said. “The program minimizes the time from the cardiac arrest to emergency services arriving.”

Kahler says the donation reflects the strong partnership between F&M and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.

“We have a shared commitment to protecting the health and safety of our campus community,” Kahler said. “We sincerely appreciate Penn Medicine’s generosity and investment in the well-being of our students, faculty, staff, visitors, and guests. Their support ensures that our officers are equipped with the best tools to respond when every second matters.”