WOODLAND, Miss. (WTVA) -- Chickasaw County firefighters have something in common.
All departments are now equipped with an automated external defibrillator, AED's.
Woodland/Sparta Volunteer Fire Department is the remaining agency to receive the device.
It is used to resuscitate someone who is in cardiac arrest.
Emergency responders say it is vital they have all the tools necessary to offer the best response time possible.
"Our other AED is seven minutes away from this station-this side of the county. We felt like we needed one over here so we could get better response time in our community on this side and give them a chance to get better medical service," said Woodland Fire Chief Randall Yeatman.
"The faster you can get an electrical shock to someone having a heart attack, the higher the survival rate for that patient," Chickasaw County Fire Coordinator Jonathan Blankenship explained.
The AED could also save the life of a fireman.
Statistics show a heart attack is the leading cause of death for on-duty firefighters in the U.S.
