IN State Police Get 90 Defibrillators From Bolt For The Heart

ACROSS INDIANA -- Indiana State Police are adding more live saving equipment to patrol vehicles, thanks to the Bolt For The Heart foundation. ISP says they received 90 Automatic External Defibrillators Tuesday from the foundation thanks to its promise to equip patrol vehicles with the devices. According to a release, ISP Superintendent Doug Carter thanked Pierre Twer, Bolt For The Heart's president and founder, for his ongoing support and dedication to put life saving AED devices in state police patrol cars, during a presentation event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ Indiana Farm Bureau Building.

ISP says Pierre was also presented with a proclamation from Gov. Eric Holcomb, who declared Feb. 13, 2018 as "Bolt For The Heart Day."

This brings the total number of AEDs donated to the state police to 305 since the first donation was made in 2014, stemming from what ISP says was the result of an experience Pierre Twer had while running in the 2010 Boston Marathon. During that race Pierre saw another marathon runner suffer a cardiac arrest, before that runner runner was saved by an AED.

ISP says this experience inspired Pierre to collaborate with Heart Reach Carmel and establish the Bolt for the Heart 5K Family Thanksgiving Run, of which 2017 was the sixth year for the run and the third consecutive year the Indiana State Police was the primary recipient of the AEDs.

The President of IU Health, Jon Goble also spoke and made a special presentation to Good Samaritan Bill Schiles and Carmel Police Officer Richard Lovitt, who shared their story of how they used CPR and an AED to save a person’s life.

This inspired Pierre to collaborate with Heart Reach Carmel and establish the Bolt for the Heart 5K Family Thanksgiving Run, with 2017 being the sixth year for the run and the third consecutive year the Indiana State Police was the primary recipient of the AEDs.

Each year 100% of the proceeds have been used to purchase AEDs for donation to not for profit organizations.

ISP says at the end of Tuesday's event, troopers were given their AEDs and also placed window stickers on their patrol cars to easily identify that the car was equipped with an AED.

More information: in.gov/isp, boltfortheheart.com

Photo credit: Indiana State Police, Myers/Bursten