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Last year, Bolt for the Heart (BFTH) teamed up with the Indiana State Police to promote and participate in the Thanksgiving Day 5K Run/Walk to raise money to equip ISP patrol cars with lifesaving AED’s. The event, held in Carmel Indiana, raised enough money to purchase 55 AED’s which were placed in ISP cars that patrol Indiana’s more rural counties. Since that time, BFTH has worked with another contributing partner, IU Health, who donated funding to purchase an additional 15 AED’S.
 
New for this year, BFTH is offering everyone to participate in a virtual race that can be completed anywhere and on your time schedule. Visit website here: http://boltfortheheart.com/events/virtual-race-5k/. Like the event held in Carmel on Thanksgiving Day, all proceeds go to purchasing AED’s.
 
Racing begins November 1^st and runs through the end of December. Entries are $20.00 and include a 2016 Custom Finisher Medal and Commemorative Race Bib.
 
When you finish, send BFTH a photo or two with your finish time and use the hashtag #LetsBolt on your social media posts.
 
“We, as a department, have been blessed by the caring generosity of the Bolt for the Heart organization and their stated goal of ensuring each and every state police road patrol commission is equipped with an AED,” stated Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter.  “Now, with the Virtual Run, we have the opportunity to show our gratitude by encouraging friends, family, co-workers and other Public Safety professionals in our communities to commit to participating in the 2016 BFTH 5K walk/run anytime during the month of November and December.”
 
AEDs are predominately used on patients who suffer sudden cardiac arrest. Among the successes of AED use in the state of Indiana is Danny Rhoad, a 13-year-old Westfield boy whose life was saved by an AED that was stationed at Grand Park in May. He was playing baseball when a ball struck him in the chest. Coaches ran to a concession stand, which had an AED, and used the defibrillator to restore Rhoad’s heartbeat.

“Three other instances in which an AED was applied were administered by an Indiana state police officer, and two of the patients were successfully resuscitated,” said Pierre Twer, president of Bolt for the Heart. “In these three examples, the heart was stopped. In two of these examples, these people have gone on to live meaningful lives. And that’s because of AED’s being available to troopers. That’s why this is so valuable and important to us.”