Manawa Masonic Lodge #82 presented a Zoll AED defibrillator and a Fire Suppression Solutions fire suppression tool to the Village of Iola on Tuesday, April 21, at 10 a.m.
Lodge members handed the emergency equipment to the Village of Iola President, Jennifer Schuster, and Iola Police Chief, Paul Zierler, during the ceremony in Iola.
Attending lodge members include Rev. Leo Cadavos, the chaplain; Tom Squires; David L. Forsythe; Tom Wingert; Chris Gans; and Gene Reece.
Schuster and Zierler expressed gratitude to the Freemasons for the donation to public safety, which could save lives in the Iola community.
The Wisconsin Masonic Foundation drives the effort through its Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Donation Program. “By supplying AEDs to schools, community centers, and public spaces across Wisconsin, we aim to make life-saving technology readily accessible when every second counts,” the foundation’s website indicates.
The foundation partners with local Masonic lodges to create safer communities and increase survival rates from sudden cardiac emergencies. Its mission, according to the website, “is to provide the grants, support, and organizational resources necessary to help Freemasons enhance and strengthen communities throughout Wisconsin. We focus on public safety, education, and humanitarian efforts, ensuring that resources go directly to those most need them.”
This donation fits into the foundation’s broader success across the state. Wisconsin Freemasons have donated hundreds of AEDs and related emergency tools to schools, community centers, first responders, and public spaces over the past decade. Those devices earn credit for saving lives, while separate “Emergency Jump Bag” donations to the Wisconsin State Patrol have already seen deployments, with high success in reviving victims, saving pets, and protecting property.
The presentation highlights Freemasonry’s ongoing commitment to public safety in Waupaca County and beyond. By equipping the Village of Iola with this Zoll AED and fire suppression tool, Manawa Masonic Lodge #82 and the Wisconsin Masonic Foundation strengthen local readiness for sudden cardiac events and other emergencies where seconds can mean the difference between life and death. The equipment now stands ready to serve the Iola community whenever needed.
Success stories
The Wisconsin Masonic Foundation’s Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Donation Program, in partnership with local lodges like Manawa Masonic Lodge #82, continues to expand access to critical emergency equipment in schools, community centers, public spaces, and first-responder vehicles. Official updates from the Wisconsin Freemasons show that hundreds of Zoll AED defibrillators have been placed in schools and community centers statewide over the past decade. These devices receive direct credit for possibly saving at least 40 lives.
The program’s reach extends beyond static placements. Freemasons have also equipped Wisconsin State Patrol vehicles with “Emergency Jump Bags” over the past two years. Each bag contains a Zoll AED alongside a Fire Suppression Tool.
A related example of Masonic emergency-tool impact occurred in Union Grove, where a sheriff’s deputy successfully deployed a previously donated Fire Suppression Tool. That real-world success prompted the Union Grove Masonic Temple to donate two additional units to the Racine County Sheriff’s Office, illustrating how demonstrated effectiveness drives further giving.
Impacts in downtowns
In small-town downtown areas like Iola’s, quick access to AEDs proves especially critical. Rural and small-community response times often run longer than in urban centers, and every minute without defibrillation reduces the chances of survival from cardiac arrest by 7% to 10%. Public AEDs in central locations dramatically close the gap: survival rates climb to as high as 70% when bystanders apply a shock within the first couple of minutes. Placement in village halls, libraries, or downtown public spaces empowers residents and first responders to act immediately before emergency medical services arrive.
Overall, the Masonic AED effort stands as a quiet yet powerful example of Freemasonry’s commitment to public safety in Wisconsin. Through steady donations, matching grants, and partnerships with first responders, the program turns “when every second counts” into lives preserved. For the Village of Iola’s recent Zoll AED and fire-suppression tool from Manawa Lodge #82, this statewide track record suggests the equipment now sits ready not just as a donation, but as a proven lifeline for the community.
