MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — An automated external defibrillator (AED) is something Capt. Don Fanning has had to use before.

“Every day,” he said. “Every day in our community, our fire department, our EMS folks, and our officers…we’re going to these cardiac kind of events.”

There was a time during Fanning’s 29 years of service with the Murfreesboro Police Department when AED’s weren’t readily available.

“Originally it was in the hospital setting,” he said. “You had to get to the hospital before they could do anything.”

But now, all of that is changing.

“Our public expects our officers to show up, and not just stand there,” said Fanning. “Let’s help save a life.

The Murfreesboro Police Department is now equipping every patrol car with an AED.

“It’s a lot of planning,” said Fanning. “It’s a lot of talking to our other partners that we’re involved in.”

Fanning said the department has been looking into this for the last two years; $345,000 will come from the city budget to fund around 225 AEDs. It’s something Fanning believes will benefit the community.

“Our city council, our mayor, and our city manager have been really good and understanding how important it is that we save lives in our city, and this is just another method to do that,” he said. “So I think this is a funding priority when you say this has the power to save lives.”

While the department works to get these AEDs rolled out and officers trained, Fanning hopes this move will also encourage others to consider getting trained as well.

“Early quality CPR and early intervention of an AED, it makes all the difference in the world,” he said. “The power to save a life is right here in your hands.”

The next group of officers will undergo training and receive their AEDs for their patrol cars next week.

The department’s goal is to issue all uniformed officers an AED by the end of this year.