Having an AED on location can save valuable minutes before emergency services can arrive, and those minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

Did you know that more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year?[1] There are countless news stories where an AED on location saved the life of a person from all walks of life. Schools, theaters, sheriffs’ offices, boats, restaurants, hotels, churches, water parks, etc. have all been installing AEDs to be prepared for these emergent situations. In fact, in Pulaski, WI, the sheriff was able to save a life three weeks after getting their first AED in the office. The man was suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest on his drive to work, which caused a car accident and left him unresponsive. The sheriff’s AED was able to save his life before they could get him to the hospital.

You never know when and where a sudden cardiac arrest can happen. Some of the healthiest people have suffered sudden cardiac arrest. Bob Harper, the fitness icon and trainer from “The Biggest Loser” had a sudden cardiac arrest in 2017. A doctor on a Labor Day weekend vacation at Conscience Bay, NY, was in shape but found himself having a sudden cardiac arrest after a swim. Before long he was unresponsive. His wife and friends were calling for help. An AED on a nearby yacht saved his life along with the CPR being performed. Having an AED on personal boats, at vacation homes, or anywhere else you spend time can make a difference. In addition, if or when you might be somewhat remote, away from emergency services, having an AED can make a huge difference in time.

AEDs are becoming ubiquitous at restaurants and bars, and more and more are saving lives. In East Bethel, MN, a restaurant was lauded for having an AED in-house that saved the life of man. The more AEDs in public places, the more lives that can be saved. This story and many others highlights the unknown of when and where a cardiac arrest might hit; “The majority of Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) occur at public settings (18.8 percent), mostly homes/residences (69.5%) and nursing homes (11.7%).”[2]

Age doesn’t matter when it comes to the heart. This past spring in Gilbert, SC, an athletic trainer used an AED on the baseball field during a high school baseball game. She was able to bring the player’s heart back to normal rhythm with the help of the AED when the player’s heart wasn’t responding to CPR. CPR does save lives, but AEDs can offer an extra safety net.

Do you know where the nearest AED is for you and your loved ones? Or, is there an AED located where you work? How valuable are those minutes between calling 911 and the ambulance arriving?

[1]https://ahainstructornetwork.americanheart.org/AHAECC/CPRAndECC/AboutCPRECC/CPRFactsAndStats/UCM_475748_CPR-Facts-and-Stats.jsp

[2]https://ahainstructornetwork.americanheart.org/AHAECC/CPRAndECC/AboutCPRECC/CPRFactsAndStats/UCM_475748_CPR-Facts-and-Stats.jsp