AED Program
Bringing life saving technology closer to home
Across the United States Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs outside of a hospital setting more than 350,000 times a year but only about 10% of those victims survive. Cardiac Arrest is indiscriminate and can happen to anyone at any time. Early recognition, CPR administration, and AED application have been proven to improve patient outcomes. This is most important in rural areas such as Somerset County where ambulance responses times are longer than that in more populated areas. Our hope is to improve survivability by making automated external defibrillators (AEDs) publicly available and providing CPR education to our residents. These small steps can mean the difference between life and death. This brochure provides some basic information on Cardiac Arrest, Heart Attacks, and Defibrillation.
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac Arrest occurs when the heart malfunctions and stops beating unexpectedly. Cardiac arrest is triggered by an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). With its pumping action disrupted, the heart cannot pump blood to the brain, lungs, and other organs. Seconds later, a person becomes unresponsive, is not breathing or is only gasping. Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive treatment.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
An AED is a small portable device that can analyze a victim’s heart and provide defibrillation when an arrhythmia is detected. Defibrillation is a process in which a victim receives an electrical shock to the heart. The goal of defibrillation is to stop the arrhythmia and allow the heart to start beating normal again. A victim’s chance of survival decreases by 7 to 10 percent for every minute that passes without defibrillation. AEDs are easy to use. The machine only requires the user to turn on the AED and follow the audio instructions when prompted. AEDs are also safe to use even on patients who are not suffering from cardiac arrest. The technology inside the AED analyzes the victims’ heart rhythm and only prescribes a shock if one is needed.
Legal Issues
Companies and organizations are concerned about their liability for getting and using AEDs.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia now include using an AED as part of their Good Samaritan laws.
In Pennsylvania the Good Samaritan and Related Acts law states that any individual who in good faith uses an AED in an emergency shall not be liable for any civil damages as a result of using the AED.
The threat of liability and litigation should not be a concern when it comes to saving a life.
Somerset Area Ambulance AED Program
The Somerset Area Ambulance Association Inc. started an AED Program in 2022. The goal of the program is to bring life saving technology and training closer to our patients so that everyday people can help those suffering from the most critical of illnesses. With EMS response times averaging over 14 minutes in rural Somerset County we often times find ourselves on the wrong side of time when it comes to cardiac arrest resuscitation. By saturating our communities with public access AEDs our hope is to improve cardiac arrest survivability and give our family, friends, neighbors, and guests the tomorrow that they had planned.
How the Program Works
The Somerset Area Ambulance Association will help facilitate the acquisition of one of the approved AEDs under our program. This cost ultimately is the responsibility of the end user but grant money may be available to help offset the purchase price of the AED. The AED will be shipped directly to Somerset Ambulance and upon arrival will be put together and checked for proper functionality before being delivered to you. Once delivered we will work with you to identify the best location for making your AED accessible and even handle the installation of the wall cabinet and signage, if you wish. Once delivered your AED will be added to the PulsePoint registry. PulsePoint is a data registry that maintains information about AEDs that can be accessed by the general public, 911 centers, and first responders. We will then work with your team to provide training on how to use your AED and how to administer CPR. The next step is to leave your AED ready to respond in a time of need. Over time certain components of the AED will expire such as the pads and the batteries. As part of the AED Program, Somerset Ambulance will ensure your machine is mission ready by replacing expired components and performing fit and function testing as needed at no cost. If your AED is ever used a member of our team will in-service your machine to get it back on the wall and ready for the next patient, and again, this comes at no cost to you.
Program Success
At Somerset Ambulance we have celebrated many successful resuscitation attempts. In nearly every one of those cases bystanders successfully used an AED prior to the arrival of first responders. These victims all had plans for the future and because of people like yourself were able to have tomorrow. We watched as a grandfather got to attend their grandchild’s soccer games, a father who got to walk his daughter down the aisle, and a child that got to start Kindergarten to name a few. These powerful moments are reminders that a national average is only a national average. While the American Heart Association reports cardiac arrest survivability of only 10% we celebrate a 15% survivability rate in the communities we serve.
Help Support Our Program
As you can imagine maintaining a program of this magnitude can be costly. The program costs on average $5,000 a year to maintain. We are always looking for community contributions to offset the cost of maintaining this program. Your support ensures that the program not only continues but thrives. Contributions towards the program are kept in a restricted bank account and only used to support the AED Program. Every penny gets put back into supporting community access to life saving equipment. If you are interested in making a financial contribution towards the program, please contact us.
Already have an AED
If you already have an AED, we may be able to enroll you in our program. Contact us to discuss if the AED you have can be supported through our program. In most cases we can support your current AED.