AUSTIN, Minn.- A grant from the Hormel Foundation will help keep people in Austin safer.
The foundation is providing $30,000 in grant funding for the city to purchase defibrillators.
The devices, which are also known as AEDs, will be carried in Austin police cars and placed in the fire department and in city buildings.
Fire Chief Mickey Healey says they are vital n cases of sudden cardiac arrest.
"All the national responses have proven that with an AED readily available, immediate defibrillation will help convert cardiac arrest and increase the save rate, it's been proven a couple times in the city already," Healey said.
Hormel foods and several of its employees recently received the Amercan Heart Association "Heartsaver Hero Award" for helping a fellow worker.
The Austin City Council approved the purchase of the AEDs at Tuesday night's meeting.