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Thanksgiving Day race supports ISP need for life-saving equipment

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — This Thanksgiving you have a special chance to support the Indiana State Police and get a good workout in before your big holiday meal.

It’s the 6th annual Bolt for the Heart 5K run-walk. 100% of the proceeds from the Bolt for the Heart 5K will go to buying AED’s to have inside Indiana State Police Patrol cars.

Since 2010, there are more than a dozen stories about first responders equipped with an automated external defibrillator saving a life. Just last weekend in South Bend, firefighters saved a journalist who suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

While CPR is important, often an defibrillator is needed to get the heart beating again. Many AED’s talk the user through each and every step of the process, allowing them to be used by teachers or coaches in schools or law enforcement officers on the streets.

For Indiana State Police, troopers are often first on the scene, so they want this needed equipment on-hand.

“A lot of times that we’re in rural areas of Indiana, our patrol cars are at our homes, they’re at the basketball games, they’re at the football games, they’re at churches and we have these in our cars, with trained individuals, to be able to use them in the event of an emergency that comes up with a heart-related disease,” Indiana State Police Sgt. Rich Myers said.

Sudden cardiac arrest takes more lives in America each year than breast cancer, prostate cancer, house fires, firearms, traffic accidents and AIDS combines. That’s more than 400,000 people each year.

The Bolt for the Heart 5K is a way to raise money outside of taxpayer funds to get these devices in ISP units. It is set for Thanksgiving at 9 a.m. in Carmel. Registration is available now.

Bolt for the Heart is also offering a virtual race option. You register online just like you would for the race, it’s $20, and then you can run or walk your 5K anywhere at anytime. You still get a medal and bib too. Many state trooper posts, churches, and other groups can host virtual runs if they’re further from Carmel and just can’t make it there for the actual race.