About Automated External Defibrillator
In the time it takes you to read this page, sudden cardiac arrest will strike another victim. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death among adults in North America, claiming an estimated 350,000 lives each year in the United States alone. Once every one to two minutes, another American succumbs without warning. Many victims have no previous history of heart problems. Sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone, at any time, anywhere.
The good news is that sudden cardiac arrest does not have to result in sudden death. If the heart can be shocked quickly with a defibrillator, a normal heart rhythm may be restored. In New York City, for example, the average emergency response time from “the call to 911 to arrival” is about 7 minutes. (Times may vary due in part to traffic delays and the logistics of getting to victims in high-rise buildings.) If a member of your family, a neighbor, or co-worker were to collapse from sudden cardiac arrest, the victim’s best change of survival would be to receive lifesaving CPR and defibrillation within those first vital minutes. For every minute that slips by without defibrillation, the victim’s chance of survival falls by about 10 percent.
An automated external defibrillator, or AED, is an electronic device that recognizes a heart rhythm that requires a shock, and then prompts the rescuer to deliver the shock simply by pressing a button. AEDs are small, lightweight, simple to operate, and extremely reliable.
AEDs are becoming more widely available and are being used in a wide range of settings, including airplanes, office buildings, industrial plants, casinos, golf courses, cruise ships, sports arenas and health clubs.
How effective are AEDs?
AEDs have been proven to be safe, reliable and effective in preventing unnecessary death from sudden cardiac arrest. Studies have clearly demonstrated that survival rates are high when defibrillation treatment is administered within the first few minutes following sudden cardiac arrest. In three studies of cardiac arrest in supervised cardiac-rehabilitation centers, more than 90 percent of victims were successfully resuscitated using AEDs.
Getting Trained
The American Red Cross offers the lifesaving training programs you need to administer Early Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and to use an AED. We can also help you start an AED program. American Red Cross training combines visual, auditory, and hands-on training that meet a range of learning styles. To ensure effective training for all, text is easy to ready and understand. The modular design of our course offerings allows you to build a training program that meets your needs.
For more information about AED training, please contact the your local Health & Safety Department
Topeka: (785) 354-9223 or email Health & Safety
Manhattan: (785) 537-2180 or email Health & Safety - Flint Hills
Emporia: (620) 342-4211 or email Health & Safety - Lyon County
Junction City: (785) 238-3163 or email Health & Safety - Geary County
