MADISON, Wis. — Madison residents can now reserve Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for free directly from the city’s fire department.
The City of Madison Fire Department unveiled its free "AED Library" program Wednesday to increase access to the device.
It allows people to check out an AED for their sporting event, family reunion, picnic or any gathering where there may be concern over access to an AED. The critical tool aims to help someone that’s experiencing a cardiac arrest.
The specific AEDs used for the program are “lightweight, compact, easy to transport, and simple to use,” according to the fire department. They also feature a setting for patients who are under the age of 8 and have Spanish-language feature.
The launch of the new program coincides with the National CPR and AED Awareness Week. According to the Madison Fire Department, 10 people in Madison have survived cardiac arrest, leaving the hospital 100% intact as of June 4, 2025.
The fire department said it wants to educate as many people as possible on how to help when someone is experiencing a cardiac arrest.
“With help from everyday responders like you working in tandem with the paramedics and EMTs of the Madison Fire Department, Dane County can remain a national leader in cardiac arrest survival rates,” the city said in a release.
You can reserve an AED from the Madison Fire Department by contacting the MFD Administrative Office at 608-266-4420 or by emailing fire@cityofmadison.com. When you reach out to reserve one, all you have to do is state the date or dates you want to check out the AED. It then must be returned within three days after your event concludes.