Cardiac Science(Irvine, California), a manufacturer of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), and Baltimore County jointly reported that Cardiac Science had been named its exclusive marketing partner and provider of AEDs, AED/CPR training and AED program management for a county-wide public access defibrillator (PAD) program launched by Baltimore County, Maryland (Towson, Maryland). Cardiac Science said that Baltimore County is the latest municipality to partner with it to implement a PAD program, joining other communities including San Diego, Minneapolis, Miami and St. Louis.

Baltimore County Project Heartbeat PAD program, co-ordinated by the Baltimore County Fire Department, is designed to make the technology offered by AEDs available in public facilities and businesses throughout the 610-square mile county of 755,000 people.

Cardiac Science and the fire department will launch a program to educate the public and representatives from local businesses about the need for AEDs and how to use them.