Richland Library welcomes more than 2.3 million visitors each year. With that level of volume and diversity, it’s typical for our Safety and Security Department to handle an average of 45 serious incidents each month. The library’s Safety and Security Department consists of a 12-year veteran police officer who supervises 14 full-time and 13 part-time positions system-wide. The addition of AEDs allows our departments and locations to be fully-equipped to handle medical crises during the first critical moments.

Richland Library has been able to fund this initiative through a more than $16,000 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to purchase the AEDs and accessories for each library location. It’s the first one ever in the department's history. In addition, nearly 50 designated library staff and 11 community members have also received First Aid/CPR/AED training and obtained a two-year certification to ensure they’re also able to quickly and efficiently operate the equipment in the event of an emergency.

According to the American Heart Association, AEDs can triple survival rates, and having these machines allows Richland Library to provide immediate life-saving support rather than standing by helplessly, waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. Furthermore, the grant from Fire House Subs is the first ever given to a safety department. AEDs can be a significant expense. Being able to afford their installations at each location makes our community safer and creates a funding pathway for other libraries to pursue.