The job of an automated external defibrillator (AED) is not done even after it’s been used to save a life.
From the moment a HeartSine AED is switched on, the unit is gathering important data on its use. This detail is used to create an AED incident report. These reports give AED program clients the information and tools necessary to strengthen their public access defibrillation (PAD) program.
Incident reports are an important component of AED program management. They include information such as the date and location of the event, whether or not it was witnessed, if CPR was administered before the AED machine was used, and the length of emergency response time.
A second-by-second log records each step the machine takes. A sample listing may include: power on, lead off, electrodes connected, stand clear, rhythm assessment, shock advised, stand clear, push to shock, shock, CPR prompt, etc. Time stamped rhythm strips show the status of the victim’s heart rhythms at each step in the process.
Through Heart Trac, HeartSine’s AED Management Program, data is transmitted to HeartSine within 72 hours of the event. An on-site event debriefing with the AED response team is conducted to gather information on what occurred during the event. All data is then analyzed by a dedicated Medical Director Also, the used Pad-Pak is replaced at no charge so the AED can go back into service.
Data on the performance of the AED is essential not only to ensure future peak performance of the AED program, but to file required regulatory reports. The AED machine also records data on its periodic automatic health checks. By gathering and utilizing AED data gathered during cardiac events, future AED use can be optimized.
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Whitney Brostrom
A resident in Virginia in the USA is alive today because the community recently placed automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in its police squad cars and trained officers on CPR and AED use.
On January 6, 2013, police officer S. Clint Debrular responded to a 911 call in the community of Aquia Harbour in Virginia. The first on the scene -- arriving 6 minutes ahead of the ambulance – Officer Debrular administered CPR and two shocks via the AED. The 60 year old resident who had been in full cardiac arrest was revived and is expected to make a full recovery.
“Early access to CPR and a defibrillator is what made this a positive outcome rather than a negative one,” said Aquia Harbour Volunteer Emergency Manager Chris Greene.
Greene shared that within the last few months Aquia Harbour had placed HeartSine AEDs not only in police cars, but at the gate of the community, the golf course, the marina and the business office. In addition to having trained the community’s emergency response team in CPR and AED use, Greene is training anyone in the community who is interested. His goal is to train 10% of the community (about 1,000 people).
Aquia Harbour purchased HeartSine samaraitan PADs through distributor Rescue One in Maryland. Greene commented that they chose HeartSine’s samaritan model because of its ruggedness. “AEDs placed in squad cars will bounce around and get hot and cold. Rescue One told us the Samaritan meets military-type standards. That was our deciding factor; we needed to go with one that would be ready to use.”
All saves made with a HeartSine AED qualify for the Forward Hearts program which allows individuals who have survived a sudden cardiac arrest event as a result of a HeartSine defibrillator to donate a HeartSine samaritan® PAD 300P Public Access Defibrillator to the charity or organization of their choice.
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Whitney Brostrom
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are often described as so easy- to-operate, a child could effectively use one. Lawmakers in the state of Illinois in the United States agree; middle school children (grades 6-8 ) in Illinois are receiving important video instruction about CPR and AED safety thanks to House Bill 5114 which was passed in June 2012.
Dr. George Chiampas, a proponent of the legislation and an assistant professor of emergency medicine and sports medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and an emergency medicine physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said, “This bill is something that is important to us that work in the emergency department … this is going to resonate across the state because what we know is that that first initial piece when someone suffers a cardiac arrest is the one piece that we don’t have control over. And in those first 4-5 minutes the bystander who steps in and offers that support and starts CPR and/or uses an AED makes a difference in that life.”
Illinois Governor Quinn commented, “We believe in the opportunity for CPR and using AEDs and making sure all our citizens, even those in middle school, young people, know how to use CPR and AEDs in order to save lives. If you can save a life, you can save the whole world.”
Watch the video of Governor Quinn and Dr. Chiampas speaking about the passage of this and other laws designed to strengthen healthcare and safety in Illinois.
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Whitney Brostrom
Last year there were numerous reports of seemingly healthy athletes across Europe who were felled on the field by sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
Take the case of Fabrice Muamba, former midfielder for the Bolton Wanderers football club in the United Kingdom, who suffered SCA during a match in March 2012. Despite his heart being stopped for a total of 78 minutes, he survived to make a full recovery thanks in part to CPR and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Muamba demonstrates how to use an AED in an online video and talks about his work with the Arrhythmia Alliance’s Hearts & Goals campaign to raise awareness of SCA, promote CPR training and facilitate AED placements.
Unfortunately a number of other athletes stricken with SCA last year did not survive -- often because there was no AED or access was delayed.
Four weeks after Muamba’s SCA event, Italian soccer player Piermario Morosini, age 25, collapsed during a division match and died.
That same month, Norwegian Olympic swimmer Alexander Dale Oen suffered sudden cardiac arrest and died during a pre-Olympic training event at the age of 26.
Claire Squires, a 30 year old runner, collapsed and died less than a mile from finishing the 2012 London marathon.
But for 17 year old student athlete Chris McNeill of Coleraine, Northern Ireland, the outcome was a positive one. After collapsing seven minutes into a football match in July 2011, prompt medical attention from a bystander doctor and use of a defibrillator on the grounds saved his life.
With the topic of SCA at the top of their minds, the Derry City Council in Northern Ireland took action in July 2012 and unanimously voted to place defibrillators in all Derry City Council buildings and sporting facilities and train staff on their use.
Davy Boyle, known as the borough of Coleraine’s “Caring Caretaker” raised tens of thousands of pounds to pay for the placement of defibrillators throughout the local area by creating a “Defibrillators at the Heart of Every Game” campaign. Boyle conducts annual fundraising activities for a wide range of charities.
A UK study based on figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), cites a rate of 8 cardiac deaths per week (1.8 per 100,000) for the 1-34 age group based on data collected between 2002 and 2005.
The charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) believes the figure to be higher and states that every week in the UK, 12 apparently fit and healthy young people (aged 35 and under) die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.
A British Journal of Sports Medicine Study reports SCA to be the leading cause of death in exercising young athletes and states: “Timely access to AEDs at training and sporting competitions permits effective management of SCA and the prevention of sudden cardiac death in athletes.”
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Whitney Brostrom
Within state legislatures throughout the country, the topics of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and cardiac arrest are getting more and more play. As of January 2012, there were a total of fifty-six pending or recently passed state bills which specifically relate to AEDs and cardiac arrest, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures .
CPR and AED use gained widespread attention in the mid-1990s when the American Heart Association introduced a public health initiative to promote early CPR and AED use by trained lay responders in community AED programs.
Then in 1995, the American Heart Association began promoting the development of Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) programs to improve sudden cardiac arrest survival rates. Between 1995 and 2000 all 50 states passed laws and regulations concerning lay rescuer AED programs. In 2000, the federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act mandated the installation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in federal buildings, and gave legal immunity to those who use them.
Over the last dozen years, states are actively following the federal government’s lead by proposing and passing a wide variety of laws concerning the placement and use of AEDs. Why? They recognize the fact that AEDs help save lives. Numerous bills concerning AEDs are currently in various stages of the legislative process throughout the states. Recently enacted legislation concerning AEDs is a solid indicator of the direction other states may be apt to take, particularly concerning the legislation of AED use in schools. Here is a sampling of recent AED legislation:
New Jersey: In 2012, New Jersey enacted "Janet's Law" (named for 11-year old Janet Zilinski who died of sudden cardiac arrest after cheerleading) which requires all public and nonpublic schools (K-12) to have AEDs on site. An additional new law, (A-1608), mandates that schools establish emergency action plans so they are prepared to deal with sudden cardiac events and other life-threatening emergencies.
New York: New York's S2923, signed June 8, 2011, requires all dental offices in New York to have an AED on site. Additionally, all dentists in New York State must be certified in CPR, which includes AED training.
Michigan: The Wolverine state passed Senate Resolution 0074 in 2011 to urge school districts and communities to have AED devices present at all athletic and community-sponsored events.
Oregon: In 2010 Oregon passed Senate Bill 1033 which requires each school campus to have at least one AED on campus. Compliance is required on or before January 1, 2015.
Connecticut: Public Act No. 09-94 enacted in July 2009 requires that schools have an automatic external defibrillator on premises and school staff be trained in AED use and CPR. It also requires schools to develop emergency response plans in preparation to address sudden cardiac arrest or similar life threatening emergencies that may occur on school grounds.
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Whitney Brostrom
Government Providing Funding for 1,000 AEDs
In June 2011 Manitoba became the first province in Canada to require that AEDs be made available in public places through the Public Access Defibrillator Act (Bill 20). Under the Act, AEDs must be made available in selected public places by January 31, 2014.
To support this mandate, the Manitoba government is providing funding for 1,000 emergency defibrillators for public places in partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba. Submission of applications for the provincially funded defibrillators began Jan. 7, 2013. Working with the Manitoba Government, the Heart and Stroke Foundation has also negotiated 30-40% discounts for some defibrillators for facilities that do not receive a free AED. More information on the Public Access Defibrillator Act can be found at http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/aed/list.html
The public locations required to place an AED were determined based on input from paramedics and the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Manitoba, 911 data and public consultations. The list includes:
- Fitness clubs, gyms and other similar facilities
- Community Centers
- Golf Courses
- Athletic facilities, including:
- Indoor public swimming pools
- Indoor arenas used primarily for hockey or other ice-skating activities
- Curling clubs
- Schools, colleges and universities
- Airports, train and bus stations
- Casinos
- Homeless shelters
- Major shopping centers
- Major sporting venues
- Museums, cultural centers and other popular destinations
- Winnipeg City Hall
- Millennium Library (Winnipeg)
- Winnipeg Convention Centre
- Legislative Building
- Law Courts Building in Winnipeg and court houses in Brandon, Dauphin, The Pas, Morden, and Minnedosa
In December 2012 Province of Manitoba Health Minister Theresa Oswald said, “Just like having a fire extinguisher is a requirement in public places to help save lives, so too shall defibrillators be required in more places to dramatically improve the odds of surviving cardiac arrest. You cannot harm a person by pressing the button on a defibrillator, but you may save a life.”
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Whitney Brostrom
HeartSine Technologies has donated a samaritan PAD 300P automated external defibrillator (AED) to the village of Great Bookham in Surrey, England, to replace an AED that was stolen from Bookham High Street.
A February 5 article in This Is Surrey Today by Alexander Robertson reports, “Thieves stole the newly installed Public Access Defibrillator (Pad) from a cabinet outside Rawlings and Kensett Butchers on January 6, prompting local businesses to launch a fundraising drive to replace it.”
With HeartSine providing a replacement free of charge and local shopkeepers sponsoring a raffle to raise funds for a replacement AED, defibrillators will now be placed at either end of the High Street. The article quotes Mole Valley district councillor Paul Newman, as saying: “It just goes to show that even though we have suffered at the hands of mindless individuals there are still some good people out there. Having these two machines placed strategically at either end of the village will potentially save lives.”
Read the full post by Alexander Robertson here on This Is Surrey Today
Photo by Kevin Shaw
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HeartSine automated external defibrillators (AEDs) placed in Nicaragua helped to save two lives in 2011. How those AEDs came to be in Nicaragua, a place where access to medical technology is extremely limited, is largely due to the drive of one woman: Laurieann Milligan, Community Outreach Coordinator of Med-Care Ambulance Service, the Western Maine branch of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA).
Through her work with Med-Care, Milligan has been involved with the deployment of close to 150 AEDs in Western Maine as well as countless hours of AED, CPR and sudden cardiac arrest education. When Milligan encountered a group of orthopedic doctors from Maine that travels to Nicaragua, her first thought was to join forces so that she could raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and deploy AEDs in a place where they were sorely needed. An alliance between the Western Maine SCAA and the group of orthopedic doctors was formed.
Shortly after, when Milligan met a HeartSine representative at a Parent Heart Watch conference in 2010, she told him about her mission to take three AEDs to Nicaragua the following year. That fortuitous meeting resulted in donations from HeartSine Technologies facilitated by HeartSine representative Steven Garrett and HeartSine distributor Brian Marshall. Three HeartSine AEDs and a HeartSine trainer were sent to Nicaragua with Milligan.
“It was a great team-building collaborating effort,” said Milligan. “Everyone at HeartSine really helped to streamline our efforts – especially with getting the units converted to Spanish speaking units.”
In Nicaragua the three AEDs were deployed in the city of Chinandega at the local hospital, clinic and fire department. More than 200 people (including hospital and fire department staff) were trained in CPR, AED use and sudden cardiac arrest awareness.
That training paid off for a 68 year old man who was saved by an AED at the local clinic and a 77 year old woman who was saved at the hospital that first year. “The initial program was so well received that we were booked solid for training classes the following year,” said Milligan. The group returned in 2012 to conduct additional training. Milligan hopes to return to Nicaragua in 2013 to place additional AEDs in another community.
“Our top priority is to make a difference in a community by placing at least three AEDs – one each in the local hospital, clinic and fire department,” said Milligan. “Most communities in Nicaragua have no advanced life saving abilities. They simply don’t have the resources we have in the States. By providing access to AEDs and CPR training we can help save lives.”
HeartSine AEDs are available in 23 languages and are saving lives in more than 40 countries.
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Whitney Brostrom
Having an automated external defibrillator available in a public place can dramatically improve the odds of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest. We were delighted to see that the Tulsa chapter of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association in Tulsa, Oklahoma made this happen by donating a HeartSine AED to their local Ronald McDonald House.
View the video here on NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com
The American Medical Association advocates the placement of automated external defibrillators in public buildings and supports federal legislation to increase funding for the purchase of automated external defibrillator devices so that they are available in the community.[1]
[1] AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES (H-440.890)
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Whitney Brostrom
Laws on the placement and use of automated external defibrillators vary widely from state to state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as of January 2012 there were a total of fifty six state bills pending or recently passed relating to AEDs and cardiac arrest. Variables can include where AEDs are required to be placed, what funding is available and even Good Samaritan issues.
The American Medical Association advocates the placement of automated external defibrillators in public buildings and supports federal legislation to increase funding for the purchase of automated external defibrillator devices so that they are available in the community.[1]
The 2002 Community Access to Emergency Devices Act made federal grants available to states and localities for the purchase and placement of AEDs in public places and for the training of first responders in AED use and CPR.
When deploying an AED program, keeping up to date on the widely varied and changing legislation, requirements and available funding is essential. HeartSine’s Heart Trac program, which offers online AED Program Management, is a singular tool you can depend on to correctly and successfully implement your AED program .
Whether you have one AED to register or thousands, Heart Trac assures you the filing, registration, and submission of your compliance paperwork is completed and documented properly. Heart Trac makes it easy to automatically review applicable federal, state, and local regulations to ensure your AED program is in compliance, register your AEDs and their precise locations with the local emergency medical services (EMS) department, and document them using the forms required in each jurisdiction.
All your necessary registration forms are completed automatically, sent to the appropriate authorities, and saved to your online profile with a date stamp for future reference. Heart Trac provides everything you need to easily keep on top of evolving AED regulations, no matter where your AEDs are located.
[1] AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES (H-440.890)
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Whitney Brostrom