Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes in schools and during after school sports.  Unfortunately, there is a case of sudden cardiac arrest every three days among young athletes. The overall survival rate is about eleven percent. That’s a scary low percentage considering how many more could be saved if defibrillators were installed in school and teachers and students were given proper instruction how to use them.

Schools offering to host athletic events or having gym facilities should also have AED’s placed at accessible locations.  Although, defibrillators are very easy to use, students, coaches, and teachers should all be trained so they don’t waste time during an emergency.  Inexperience in operating the AED might waste precious time and cost the life of a student.   It should be made a requirement during physical education that students are trained in CPR and the use of a defibrillator. It is also preferred if children are first made to go through a medical examination which can indicate potential heart problems and this can help vulnerable children to be kept away from exhausting activities that might lead to a sudden cardiac arrest.

Thus, if these measures are taken to protect young athletes and sportsmen, then the number of people experiencing this heart condition can drastically reduce and in this way we can make sure that all children are safe and protected from the dangers of this condition.

For less than $1200 dollars you can provide a school a philips onsite defibrillator that can save a life.

In this blog we’ll explore everything you need to know to care for your Philips HeartStart Onsite AED.  First, rest assured knowing you’ve bought one of the most advanced defibrillators’ available on the commercial market.  But, like every other mechanical device it’s requires basic checkups to keep in working in tip top shape.

The Onsite is relatively easy device to maintain.   It will automatically perform a self-test every day on the battery and internal circuitry to verify that it’s functioning properly.  If the device needs attention it will send off an audible chirp to let those around know it required maintenance.

No matter if you’re storing the device in a wall cabinet in the back or a police car it’s important that you regularly inspect your defibrillator to ensure it’s in working condition when it’s needed during an emergency. 

However, as an owner of a portable defibrillator there are periodic checks that you should perform to verify that the device is in good working condition. 

Check the Status light on the device.  If it’s blinking or making any noises refer to the owner’s manual to determine exactly what issues need to be addressed.

Expiration Date
Check the expiration date of the AED pads and batteries.  The expiration date for these parts can often be found on the front of the battery or the sealed pads package. Typically, these components have a four year self life so they will not need to be replaced very often.  However, these are often the two components that are most over looked and most critical during an emergency.

Physical Inspection
Physically inspect the defibrillator.  Check to see if there are any cracks in the casing or other signs of damage.  If you see anything that does not look correct or as it did when you first purchased the device you should contact the manufacturer or your retailer. 

Accessory Inspection
Inspect the accessories used during an emergency to verify they are still there and are not damaged or missing.  For example, you should always keep a prep kit with your defibrillator.  Your prep kit should include scissors, CPR mask, and anti-bacterial wipes.  If any of these accessories are missing you should immediately replace them.

Cleaning
After years of storage your defibrillator can become dirty or discolored.  To remedy this and you’re your device looking brand new, simply take a cotton swab or soft cloth and wet it with soapy water or ammonia based cleaner.  Gently wipe the defibrillator with the swab or cloth to remove any dust or dirt.  The solvent in the ammonia is safe to use on the casing and should remove any discoloration or debris.  Be sure not use too much liquid where it may drip into the device and damage the circuitry.  Never immerse the device into any liquid use rubbing alcohol, or abrasive materials to clean the device. 

Record Inspection
Your defibrillator should also have a test inspection card so you can record who last inspected the device and when.  This will also allow you to schedule when the next maintenance check should occur.  A good rule of thumb is to inspect the devices at least every six months, or twice a year. 

If you store your aed in an office building your facilities manager should build into their standard operating manuals an inspection process and checklist.  The above steps should be included in the process but you should always check the owner’s manual for specific details for your model.   Keeping your defibrillator in good working condition and verifying that the critical parts have not expired will ensure that it’s ready for use during an emergency.

It is documented that between 2000-2006 there have been over 500 occurrences of SCA taking place to kids at school. Especially, the fitness or gym facilities of many schools have to be equipped with an AED as physical activity can cause stress to the heart and with several activities like basketball, baseball, swimming and baseball, there are high chances of anyone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. As a sudden cardiac arrest can be experienced by anyone irrespective of their age and as such, the faculty and students both have to be protected in the event of such an incident taking place.

Defibrillation is the technique that is necessary to help save a person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. Defibrillation basically means administering an electric shock to a person in order to regulate the heart beat and this has to be done only within the first four minutes, and each and every minute immediately after that decreases the probabilities of survival by ten percent. This remedy is given with the help of an automated external defibrillator also known as an AED.

An automated external defibrillator is a device approved by the FDA that will send an electrical shock to a patient experience SCA that will put the heart back into its normal rhythm. Most schools have made sure to install AED’s in gyms or where sports are played by children, however, there are few AED’s mounted in day care centers. Many states have enacted laws that require schools or locations where children regular to have an AED installed, but there are still several states that have not.

An AED first monitors the patient’s condition and then by means of a screen or voice prompt indicates the next step to be taken in order to administer a shock and after the first shock, it checks the heart rate again and decides the course of action. With minimal training a typical person, teacher, or day care center employee can learn to use a defibrillator. With so many programs and initiatives taken by so many organizations and state departments, our schools and day care centers have become a much safer place and this trend will only continue in the future to make sure that full safety of all individuals.

Another way to protect children in day care centers is to make sure you have philps child pads or M5072A always in stock and that they have not expired.  You should always make sure you have the correct pads in the event a child experiences SCA.  Child pads will automatically send the correct electrical shock.

March 2001, a 12-year-old healthy and asymptomatic girl named Heather R. was running in the church when suddenly the dreadful disease happened. CPR was right there and there started by a nurse and respiratory therapist who were luckily present on the scene by chance. Paramedics arrived within 5 minutes and Heather was defibrillated back to life. She was then transferred to the nearby Hospital and achieved a full neurological recovery while on cardiac work up. ***1

Suzanne Seifert was at the Jesse Lee United Methodist Church April of 2009 when the unexpected happened. Seifert suffered from a cardiac arrest and found by the team of RFD not breathing. Abruptly, the team resuscitated Seifert and transferred her to the Hospital where she fully recovered. ***2

State Representative Becky Carney aged 64 went into cardiac arrest in her office while talking on the phone. Minutes after the attack, Police and Emergency Team rushed to the first floor of the Legislative Building in Raleigh to save the Rep’s life. Luckily, an AED unit was present on the site that made way to save Carney’s life. "It's a wonderful thing about having it here," said England, D-Rutherford. "All public places should have that kind of equipment."

|Reliance Industries Executive Director and Crisil former Chairman R Ravimohan suffered from cardiac arrest while walking outside his office. Ravimohan at the age of 52 could have been alive and breathing if only an AED unit is present on his office building. 

If there’s only an AED unit present on the office of the former chairman, he could still have been here performing his duties. Minutes of un-resuscitated moments like this make the scene deadly and hopeless. However not all cardiac arrest on office building leads to irreversible death, take a look at this another real life example of SCA on office building but this time an AED unit on site clearly revived the victim.

That's why having a defibrillator in office buildings is so critical. You spend most of your day at the office so doesn't it make sense for corporations to have one installed to protect their employees.

When we talk about Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SCA, it is characterized by sudden short stabbing chest pain and difficulty of breathing. The sufferer may then go into deep coma or even death minutes without intervention. Rescue is indeed very much important when we talk about SCA, one minute of wasted moment may lead to death.

There is so much going on with regards to putting AED units of most crowded places like gyms, arenas, train stations and all others. In fact, certain state rules have been created to push thru this occupational safety legislative making America a safer world to live in. Luckily, many establishments have provided a favorable response regarding this matter such as dental clinics and fitness centers but let us not forget office buildings which require more AED units than these small scale establishments.

What if you underwent a major heart attack while on work? What if you’re office is located on the 25^th floor? What if there is no paramedic available on site? Will you still survive minutes without intervention? Let’s take a look at this real life example that happened to Mumbai Executive Director R Ravimohan and let us see the real role of AED on this incident.

Reliance Industries Executive Director and Crisil former Chairman R Ravimohan suffered from cardiac arrest while walking outside his office. Ravimohan at the age of 52 could have been alive and breathing if only an AED in office building was present. ***1

If there’s only an AED unit present on the office of the former chairman, he could still have been here performing his duties. Minutes of un-resuscitated moments like this make the scene deadly and hopeless. However not all cardiac arrest on office building leads to irreversible death, take a look at this another real life example of SCA on office building but this time an AED unit on site clearly revived the victim.

State Representative Becky Carney aged 64 went into cardiac arrest in her office while talking on the phone. Minutes after the attack, Police and Emergency Team rushed to the first floor of the Legislative Building in Raleigh to save the Rep’s life. Luckily, an AED unit was present on the site that made way to save Carney’s life. "It's a wonderful thing about having it here," said England, D-Rutherford. "All public places should have that kind of equipment." ***2

The above situation only proves that SCA can happen to anyone and anywhere. Therefore it is a must to have AED units present on all public places more likely to office buildings as they are frequented by many people from time to time. Everyone’s life is so precious that one cannot afford to lose it just because no life saving device is present on site. Save your office workers life, even your superior’s life can be rescued instantaneously, each life is indeed very important. AEDs can do all these things plus more so make sure to have one installed on your office building.

***1 http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5390634.cms

***2 http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/4879857/