AEDs Mandated In Some States. Federal Mandate Soon?
On January 1, 2010 a new Oregon law went into effect mandating placement of Automated External Defibrillators (AED defibrillator) in “places of public assembly” throughout the state.
The protections of Oregon’s Good Samaritan Law extend to owners of covered facilities and to AED users. AED training is not required for the protections to apply. Studies have shown that an AED can be operated safely and easily by non-trained users. Audio instructions provide a step by step guide and built in safeguards prevent any misuse.
The law is the broadest mandate for the placement of AEDs in the United States thus far, and follows an increasing trend in legislation throughout the country mandating AED placement in public gathering places. The motivations are clear. Sudden Cardiac Arrest kills 300,000 Americans each year and current survival rates are less than 5%. That’s more deaths than breast cancer, HIV-AIDS and auto accidents combined. It is also the highest cause of death among youths – especially young athletes. That’s why 16 states now mandate AEDs in schools and at athletic events.
“Time will tell, but if the number of lives saved by early defibrillation at a number of major U.S. airports where AEDs are located throughout the terminal areas is any indication, the Oregon AED law will dramatically increase countless Oregonians odds of survival from sudden cardiac arrest.” states Bob Taggart, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Annuvia, a national CPR/AED and First Aid training organization.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is not the same as a heart attack and affects people of all ages, ethnicities and genders. Numerous studies indicate that CPR combined with defibrillation from an AED within 3-5 minutes from the time of a collapse can increase a victim’s chances of survival to over 70%. But the fact remains, in the majority of cases the game is pretty much over by the time the ambulance arrives. Thus, the presence of public access AEDs and bystander involvement is critically important to life saving early defibrillation.
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I can only hope that our legislators in Ohio will follow Oregon’s lead. Ohio, along with many other states, is lagging behind when it comes to mandatory placement of AEDs in public places. Given the statistics, I find it hard to believe that AEDs are encouraged, but not required in fitness centers, all athletic events, stadiums, shopping malls, and basically anywhere there is a gathering of the public. Although this article states that no formal training is required, I must encourage anyone who is expected to use an Automated External Defibrillator receive proper training. I have been an American Heart Association Training Center Administrator and Instructor for over seven years. The majority of students in my class have never seen a defibrillator and would be hesitant to use one in an emergency. Let’s face it . . . knowing that a machine will deliver a shock significant enough to jolt a heart to stop and restart itself can be a bit intimidating for a would-be rescuer with no experience. When it comes to witnessing a Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the general public, we are dealing with extraordinary circumstances that may happen once in a lay-persons lifetime. Without proper training, people will not act quickly enough. And remember, every AED manual states that the AED is to be used by people who have completed proper training. So although a Good Samaritan Law will protect those that respond, the rescuer must know basic AED skills such as: (1) How to turn the machine on (2) Make sure the chest area under the pads is clean and dry (3) How to disconnect the electrodes and reconnect new pads (or child pads) if necessary (4) Make sure no one is touching the patient (5) What to expect when the shock is administered and what to do if the machine says “No Shock Necessary”.
I have been installing Automated External Defibrillators for over seven years in churches, schools, hi-rise buildings, police stations, etc. So many questions were asked during training, I began answering them on the website http://www.defibrillator.net I hope my answers will help to avoid any hesitation from a responder during an emergency. I firmly believe that all states will require more AED placement, but training must follow the purchase of an AED to insure the proper response in an emergency.