| What is an AED? | | | | New research suggests the availability of Automated |
| An AED is an Automated External Defibrillator. It is an | | | | External Defibrillators in public areas increases the |
| electronic portable device that administers an electric | | | | odds of surviving a heart attack. |
| shock to the chest to stop ventricular fibrillation. It | | | | A study published in the New England Journal of |
| checks a person's heart rhythm and can recognize | | | | Medicine showed that in Japan, where AEDs are |
| when a heart rhythm needs defibrillation. AEDs are | | | | available nationwide, the number of patients who |
| usually found in public and private places where there | | | | received shocks from public-access AEDs and |
| are large groups of people and where people who are | | | | survived from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest increased |
| at a higher risk of having heart attacks reside. | | | | as the number of public-access AEDs increased. |
| When Automated External Defibrillators are placed in | | | | OSHA also supports the effectiveness of AEDs on |
| the community or a business or facility, the AHA | | | | cardiac arrest victims. According to OSHA, Automated |
| (American Heart Association) strongly encourages that | | | | External Defibrillators improve survival after an |
| they be part of a defibrillation program in which: | | | | out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Their presence reduces |
| - Persons that acquire an AED notify the local EMS | | | | the critical time for treatment. Less time to defibrillation |
| office | | | | improves the victims' chances of survival. Having |
| - A licensed physician or medical authority provides | | | | devices appropriately located in a business or |
| medical oversight to ensure quality control | | | | workplace improves the survivability of people |
| - Persons responsible for using the AED are trained in | | | | experiencing cardiac arrest. |
| CPR and how to use an AED | | | | There are 300,000-400,000 deaths per year in the |
| Having an AED program in place for when a situation | | | | United States from cardiac arrest. Most cardiac arrest |
| may occur can help save lives. Locations of the | | | | deaths occur outside the hospital. Increase the odds of |
| machines within any facility or building should be clearly | | | | survival from cardiac arrest in your workplace. |
| marked and easy to find. | | | | Purchase an Automated External Defibrillator. |