Source: Porter County Health Department
At 64 acres, Woodland Park is the center of the City of Portage park system - home to the Parks Department offices, a community center with banquet halls and a multi-purpose gymnasium, two playgrounds, a dog park, a sledding hill, the Veteran’s Memorial and access to the Iron Horse Trail. Now it is also home to a SaveHeart by HeartNation outdoor AED cabinet that anyone can reach, day or night.
On September 24, the Porter County Health Department announced that it had funded and coordinated the installation of a new SaveHeart by HeartNation Wall-Mount at the park - its newest 24×7 AED location in the county. Portage Fire, Portage Police, Portage Parks and HEARTSafe Porter County joined the Health Department at the park to mark the occasion.
Around-the-Clock Access at the Center of Portage’s Parks
The new SaveHeart Wall-Mount is mounted on the outside wall of a park building, so the AED is within reach 24×7 - during a morning walk on the Iron Horse Trail, an afternoon at the playground or dog park, or an evening event at the community center.
Made in the USA by SaveHeart by HeartNation, the Wall-Mount keeps the AED protected and ready through Indiana’s summer heat and winter cold with a weather-resistant, climate-controlled cabinet. Its back-lit top makes it easy to spot, an alarm sounds when the door is opened, cabinet lighting comes on in low light, and smart monitoring confirms AED readiness and sends real-time alerts.
The Woodland Park Wall-Mount is the second SaveHeart by HeartNation cabinet in Portage. The first was placed at Founders Square, beside Hannah’s Hope Playground.
A Growing Countywide Network
Woodland Park extends a program that began with a single SaveHeart by HeartNation cabinet at Central Park Plaza in Valparaiso in August 2025. The program’s original five locations were completed last month, when two SaveHeart by HeartNation Wall-Mounts were installed at the Porter County Expo Center, and the network also reaches Drazer Memorial Park in Kouts. Porter County now has 10 publicly accessible SaveHeart by HeartNation cabinets across Valparaiso, Chesterton, Portage and Kouts, with hundreds more planned.
What sets Woodland Park apart is how it came together: the Porter County Health Department funded and coordinated the installation itself, with Portage’s fire, police and parks departments on hand to see it in place.
“Through education, screenings, training, and increased access to life-saving equipment, supporters become part of a countywide effort to enhance emergency response and save lives.” - HEARTSafe Porter County
Working Toward a HEARTSafe Porter County
The new SaveHeart by HeartNation Wall-Mount is part of HEARTSafe Porter County’s work toward countywide HEARTSafe designation - an effort that also includes heart screenings, hands-only CPR training, education and emergency preparedness. Anyone can support it through the Porter County Community Foundation at pccf.gives/heartsafe, and sponsors of a complete 24×7-accessible AED unit are recognized with custom signage featuring their name and logo.
For SaveHeart by HeartNation, Woodland Park is another example of what a community can do when public health, fire, police and parks work together to place AEDs outdoors where people live, work and play. We’re proud to help the Porter County Health Department and HEARTSafe Porter County bring 24×7 AED access to another of the county’s favorite gathering places, and we thank Portage Fire, Portage Police and Portage Parks for their support. The beat goes on in Porter County!