The Kirkland Fire Department (KFD) has launched a pilot program to provide free lifesaving automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to qualified organizations in Kirkland. The AED grant program, which was originally initiated by the Kirkland City Council, is intended to place AEDs with organizations in the community that would have the greatest likelihood of providing members of the public with access to these lifesaving tools. Public access to AEDs bridges the gap from the time of collapse to the arrival of the KFD’s resources. “We know that having an AED onsite when a person experiences a cardiac event drastically increases their chances for survival,” Kirkland Fire Chief Joe Sanford said in a press release.