Automated External Defibrilators (AEDs)

More than 300,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year. Up to 50,000 of these deaths could have been prevented if someone had initiated the Cardiac Chain of Survival, and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) had been available for immediate use at the time of the emergency.

When a person suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, for each minute that passes without defibrillation, their chance of survival decreases by 7-10 percent!  Emergency responders may not be able to reach the patient within the first ten critical minutes due to traffic or remoteness of location.  That's why AEDs are essential to saving a life!

CHAIN OF SURVIVAL

is a series of four critical steps:

 

The third step - delivering an electrical shock to the heart, which is known as defibrillation, is recognized as the most critical step in restoring cardiac rhythm and resuscitating a victim of sudden cardiac arrest.

 

An AED is a device about the size of a laptop computer that analyzes the heart's rhythm for any abnormalities and, if necessary, directs the rescuer to deliver an electrical shock to the victim. This shock, called defibrillation, may help the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm of its own.

 

The American Red Cross has agreements established with Nationally Approved AED manufacturers to allow Red Cross chapters to facilitate the purchase of AED units (we act as liaisons between end users and manufacturers) and provide the required CPR /AED training to AED purchasers.

  

   

For more information read AED FAQs, call (574) 234-0191

or email info@stjoe-redcross.org