Clear Lake Installs New Public-Access AEDs to Boost Community Safety and Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates

MASON CITY — CG Public Health, the City of Clear Lake, and Clear Lake Fire and EMS have installed three climate-controlled Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in prominent public locations throughout Clear Lake, Iowa, as part of a new community safety initiative designed to save lives during sudden cardiac emergencies.

The life-saving units are now fully operational at three high-traffic Clear Lake locations:

• Clear Lake City Hall
• The Clear Lake Shop
• Clear Lake Public Library

To support the rollout, more than 50 City of Clear Lake employees completed CPR and AED training this spring, administered by the Clear Lake Fire Department, ensuring staff across the community are prepared to respond in an emergency.

A Partnership Funded Through Regional Preparedness Grant

The AED initiative combines local resources from CG Public Health, the City of Clear Lake, and Clear Lake Fire and EMS with a preparedness grant from the Service Area 2 Healthcare Coalition. By placing permanent AED infrastructure in high-traffic public spaces, organizers say the project closes critical safety gaps that exist in the minutes before emergency responders can arrive.

Why Every Minute Matters in Cardiac Emergencies

Survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest can climb to between 50% and 70% when an AED is deployed and CPR is started within three to five minutes of a person’s collapse. That window is critical — and often narrower than many people realize.

“Even the fastest emergency medical services (EMS) take an average of 7 to 8 minutes to arrive due to traffic and distance,” said Jodi Willemsen, Environmental Health and Preparedness Manager at CG Public Health. “Putting these AEDs right where people gather means a bystander can step in and save a life before paramedics even arrive. It is a simple, common-sense team effort that makes our community safer.”

A Model for Other Iowa Communities

Organizers say the Clear Lake AED project is designed to serve as a repeatable model for other regional health and emergency agencies looking to leverage external grant funding to solve local public safety challenges. Clear Lake Fire and EMS will oversee long-term maintenance of the AED units to ensure they remain fully operational and ready for use at all times.

Public CPR and AED Training Coming Soon

Following the upcoming holiday, CG Public Health, the City of Clear Lake, and Clear Lake Fire and EMS will launch public CPR and AED training sessions open to residents and visitors. The goal is to give community members hands-on confidence using the new equipment so they’re ready to act if a cardiac emergency happens nearby.

For more information on the AED locations, upcoming training sessions, or CG Public Health’s preparedness programs, residents are encouraged to contact CG Public Health or Clear Lake Fire and EMS directly.