Automated external defibrillators can be the difference between life and death when someone experiences a cardiac arrest.

Kootenai County Sheriff's Office deputies did not have these portable lifesaving units in their patrol vehicles — until now.

"When I heard they didn’t have any, I'm like, ‘We have to do better for our community,'" Northwest Specialty Hospital CEO Rick Rasmussen said Thursday.

Northwest Specialty Hospital, in partnership with StanCraft, donated $17,000 to the sheriff's office to purchase 12 AEDs for deputies so they will have this lifesaving equipment at their fingertips when needed.

Tiffany Westbrook, director of the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management, said grant funding was out of the question because of certain restrictions surrounding the devices, so the sheriff's office contacted its community partners to help with the request.

"To Northwest Specialty's credit, when we reached out to them there was no hesitancy and it was definitely a ‘What can we do to make this work?’” Westbrook said.

Rasmussen and his team connected with StanCraft Construction Group President Josh Horvath and StanCraft Companies owner Rob Bloem, whom Rasmussen praised as "the best in the community at giving back." 

"They said, ‘We’re in,'" Rasmussen said.

Northwest Specialty will provide training for patrol staff who will use the AEDs as they respond to emergencies and assist fire personnel.

"This is a great example of partnering with the business community to bring a higher level of service to our community without an additional cost to taxpayers," Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said in a Thursday press release.