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Marlys Gould owes her life to a piece of equipment stored in the first-aid office at work.

She doesn't remember what happened on Christmas Eve 2002 but has been told that a defibrillator and quick action by her John Morrell co-workers revived her after she collapsed on the floor.

"I was gone," said Gould, now 60.

Co-workers started CPR, placed Gould on a stretcher, used an elevator to take her down six stories, then carried her to the first-aid office, where nurse Joan Mentele revived her.

"She had no heartbeat, no pulse, no breathing, no blood pressure," Mentele said.

After two shocks from the defibrillator, Gould's breathing and pulse returned.

More lifesaving stories are likely in coming years thanks to Heart Safe, a project being launched by the Sioux Empire United Way and Sioux Falls Fire Rescue.

They hope to place 125 automated external defibrillators in local businesses, churches, schools and nonprofit organizations.

"Only a few communities in the nation have done this. We think it will catch on in Sioux Falls," said Jay Powell, United Way president. "We think we'll be saving lives with these. It's pretty exciting."

Buying in bulk should reduce the cost of each defibrillator to between $1,200 and $1,500. The United Way will pay half that cost.

Organizers have contacted 40 companies and have met with representatives of about 15 of them, Powell said. Businesses and organizations can apply through the United Way.

High priority in selection will be given to businesses and organizations with more than 100 people and a large number who are age 50 or older.

Sioux Falls Fire Rescue will provide training and help maintain the equipment.

That means additional work for the Sioux Falls Fire Rescue staff, but Jim Sideras, a battalion chief, said it's well worth it. He's certain that lives will be saved after defibrillators are distributed.

"It's going to happen, with the number we put out there and the strategic locations," Sideras said.

More than 100 Sioux Falls residents have cardiac arrests each year, Sideras said. Most of them die because they don't receive help in time.

"You go to the phone and call 911, give them information, they give it to the fire and ambulance, they drive to the location, then find the person. All that takes time," Sideras said. "Now, someone will be able to bring a defibrillator right to your side within a minute or minute and a half, and we're way ahead of the curve in saving your life."

Several studies show a twofold increase in lives saved through public access to defibrillators.

The equipment is easy to use, Sideras said. It gives verbal instructions, informing a user to remove clothing from a victim's chest, turn the handle, apply pads and pull a handle. The defibrillator reads cardiac rhythm and won't emit a shock if it detects a heartbeat, Sideras said. It continues to monitor a patient.

Sioux Falls Fire Rescue paid nearly $10,000 for its original defibrillator. Technology and wider use have reduced prices considerably.

Powell said the United Way became interested in starting a program after the agency's community impact director, Laura Bowman, read a newspaper article about a local man whose life was saved last summer at a Lincoln High School track meet.

She made the recommendation and started calling the agency's partners.

Mentele said her experience at John Morrell & Co. has convinced her that every public place should have a defibrillator. One of several nurses at the plant, she has used the equipment twice. Once it wasn't enough to save a life; the other time it was.

"It was a team effort," Mentele said about saving Gould's life. "It's great someone could invent such a thing. I'm so happy the technology came out."

Obviously, Gould is grateful. She returned to work exactly two months after her heart attack with no memories of the incident or the three days that followed.

"I don't remember a thing about it," she said. "I guess they did an excellent job."

And her co-workers' reaction when she returned?

"They told me, 'Don't do that again.' "