AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR
Sandy Nichols
introduced the speaker of the day: Scott Smith, a retired police commander from the Pismo Beach Police Department. A graduate of
The AED is there to save the life of a person who has had a sudden cardiac arrest where the heart stops for some electronic reason and the person will quickly expire without CPR as the first emergency step and the AED to actually start the heart beating again.
Smith said, "Cardiac arrest could happen to anyone, including athletes. In fact it happens to children and people who otherwise exhibit good health. If the AED is nearby, it will save your life." He went on to say that public safety agencies are beginning to locate them in emergency vehicles, businesses, such as Staples are making them easily available and other public buildings, such as government offices, airports, etc.
Smith demonstrated how easy they are to use with simple pictorial instructions on the device and audio instructions are given for emergency treatment of the patient; and, that people should not fear to jerk them off of the wall or where ever they are located, open them up and get going. It might mean life or death to someone! With an AED, survival will jump from 5% to 75%.
The devices range in cost from $1200-2000; however their may be grants available and having one in your business might save you from a liability action.