On the morning of Tuesday, June 9, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District and the City of Oak Creek celebrated the installation of a dozen new outdoor automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at schools and community spaces throughout Oak Creek.

Thanks to a generous $30,770 donation from the Oak Creek Lions Club, ten outdoor AEDs have been installed at OCFSD school campuses. 

“For more than 65 years, the Oak Creek Lions Club has been dedicated to improving the health and well-being of those in need throughout our community. With the support of our Foundation, the Oak Creek Lions have proudly provided financial support for many initiatives that help make Oak Creek a better place to live, work, and play,” said Terry Tveita, Oak Creek Lions Club member. 

“As a service organization, our motto is ‘We Serve,’ and Project ADAM’s AED initiative closely aligns with that mission. We are extremely proud to partner with the City of Oak Creek, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District, and other community organizations to help make Oak Creek a truly ‘Heart Healthy Community,’” Tveita added.

The City of Oak Creek recently installed two outdoor AEDs at Drexel Town Square and Lake Vista Park and is planning a third at Abendschein Park. The Oak Creek Health Department has also stocked each portable AED with Naloxone to treat accidental overdoses. 

“It’s so important to have these devices not only in public buildings, but in the outdoor spaces where residents gather to play and relax. It could literally mean the difference between life and death. This expansion helps ensure residents, students and visitors have greater access to life-saving resources when every second matters,” said Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz.

The initiative supports the school district’s ongoing work with Project ADAM, a nationally recognized program that helps schools become heart-safe environments prepared to respond to sudden cardiac arrest emergencies. For the past two years, OCFSD has been working toward becoming a designated Heart Safe School through the program.

"When I first met with Jodi Wenzel, the Project ADAM WI- Program Coordinator at Children's Hospital, and started the journey to have all 10 of our buildings become Heart Safe Schools, I never expected it to lead to installing 12 Outdoor AEDs and creating a safer community.   I was humbled by the donor support from the Lions Club International, the OC Lions Club, Carollton Elementary School's PTO, the Oak Creek Optimist Club, and the restaurant fundraisers. The collaboration with the Oak Creek Fire Department, Oak Creek Police Department, the City of Oak Creek, and the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District truly shows what a great community we live in and what we can do when we work together," Lisa Reid, District Safety Coordinator, shared.

The location of the AEDs can be found on the Pulse Point App. Pulse Point is a free, 911-connected, mobile app that guides users to the nearest Automated External Defibrillator (AED).