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Health department seeks direction as AED supply funding ends; proposes billing departments for pads and batteries
Summary
Facing a reduced budget and exhausted grant funding, the health department told commissioners it will stop buying AED pads and batteries for county departments after a transition period and asked how to charge departments to maintain the fleet.
The county health department told the Board of County Commissioners on July 22 it can no longer absorb recurring costs for automated external defibrillator (AED) pads and batteries because grant and special-project funding has ended and its budget was cut for the next fiscal year.
Cathy, the county health department representative, said the department currently provides AEDs and does maintenance for county buildings — including the highway department, sheriff's department, courthouses, annex and landfill — and keeps device downloads for training and legal records. "AEDs do save lives," Cathy said, adding that four people are alive today because an AED was used.
She said replacement pads and batteries cost roughly $300 to $500 depending on model and that the health department cannot continue purchasing supplies. Notices have been sent to non-county entities that they will become responsible for supplies starting in January; Cathy asked commissioners for guidance on whether the county should bill departments for replacements or arrange another funding approach.
Commissioners tabled any immediate policy change and asked Cathy to provide usage and cost data for the sheriff's department (three- to five-year usage) so the board can estimate fiscal impact. The board also asked staff to coordinate with Auditor/finance staff to identify whether a departmental line item should be used or whether departments should be billed directly when replacements are required.
Why it matters: AEDs are deployed across county facilities and in first‑responder vehicles; sustaining a program affects preparedness and recurring departmental budgets. Commissioners must decide whether to centralize maintenance and invoice departments or to have each department manage its own consumables.
Next steps: Health staff will report historical AED usage for county departments (requested 3–5 year usage for sheriff's department), coordinate with the auditor on billing logistics and return with options for the board to adopt before the January transition date.
