Defibrillators have become more and more common in businesses, schools, and homes. Public and personal safety is now a priority in a “personal” way. Look around you for the AED sign or AED cabinet. Check with your gym,library,bank, hotel, or other public gathering places to see if they have your safety as a #1 priority. If the don’t have the equipment, suggest that getting it would inspire confidence in their business.

I have every confidence in my physical therapy department. They display their device on the wall with a very prominent AED sign in their waiting room. Other businesses  who employ a large amount of personnel or do business with  the public would do well to follow their example. Sudden cardiac arrest can occur at any time in any age group. Saving a life is the most important thing anyone can accomplish in a lifetime.

Defibrillators give us a second chance at life and save lives. They are so easy to use. Push the power button and follow directions.

Many things are good and bad for us. AEDs have to be one of the most successful devices ever invented. They can bring us back from death if used quickly after a cardiac arrest. Time is a big factor in our survival. Not all defibrillations are successful and I attibute that to the individual’s previous health status. A failing heart might not be able to be “ jump started” but an irregular beat or a temporary cessation might be reactivated!

Our bodies also run on electrical charges. They tell our heart, which is divided into four chambers, when to beat. This is the positive force working for us. Damaged hearts could run down like a battery and fail to recharge.

Your body is a unique entity. It works with checks and balances , a pump, and a central nervous system. Take care of it and it will take care of you!

Fifty years ago defibrillation was introduced in hospitals and doctors offices.As time went by Paramedics and EMTs were allowed to perform defibrillation with automated external defibrillators(AEDs). Now defibrillators are in homes for the possiblity of cardiac events occurring. Trained rescuers and samaritans may provide defibrillation in emergencies. Technology has come a long way. Hands on Cardiopulmpnary Resuscitation (CPR) can be taught by the defibrillator with audio instructions ( and most of them do have it). Fear is taken away by the calm voice talking you through the steps of CPR and defibrillation. Amazing how advanced we have become and how an idea from the past has become a reality.

I have donated my share to many causes and now am retired on a fixed income. The pleas from many many hospitals,causes, and civic organizations overwhelm me and even if I was a millionaire I could not fund them all. Therefore I am resolved to make a difference in my town and collect money to maintain a high quality EMS system.

First I will assess the needs and where they are….public buildings with lots of access of individuals or groups, banks, schools,  school functions or senior centers. Next, try to get public support since nickels and dimes add up to dollars and Automated External Defibrillators ( AEDs) are not cheap.

The important thing is that if an AED gets used it gives a person a second chance at life and in a small way I will have had an opportunity to have helped along with other townspeople.

To me this is a worthwhile goal.

Buy the best one for you! Check to see if your favorite has a connector for the town’s choice of defibrillator. Don’t be misled into getting a particular brand “because the fire department uses that one”. It might not have been chosen for quality but for a cheaper price or “perks.”

 We sell Zoll, Philips, and Defibtech which we consider high quality and reliable for any occasion.I have a hard time choosing between them for my preference because they  offer such unique differences. Zoll has pictures and oral instructions. Philips can convert the FRx from adult to pediatric use by the infant/child key. This allows you to use the adult pads as a child pad. Defibtech offers simplicity,ruggedness, and reliability. All defibrillators offer audio instruction.

Don’t forget to do your homework. Check all the brands to see your options and work the best deal. Remember the most expensive is not always the best and neither is the cheapest.  I know we all want a bargain but if you need to replace batteries, pads and other accessories then it is a bad bargain. Be smart. Go with a reputable company and check your products track record.

The Vice President of Defibtech sales stated that the Defibtech is easy to use,durable, and waterproof. 400,000

people each year have a SCA(Sudden Cardiac Arrest) and a defibrillator increases their chance of survival by 10%.

The Defibtech company is to be commended on its service to

all. Their yellow and black defibrillator stands out from the rest.

CPR Guidelines have changed over time and those of us who were required to recertify our CPR certificates in order to comply with our jobs have had to adjust to those changes. If you thought you knew the training after having done it for 5 years in a row, you suddenly found new sequences added or deleted to be learned and old practices to forget. Defibrillation was added to CPR  in the 1960′s.

Pre cordial chest thump was one of my first changes. A chest thump was given after determining an arrest. Unfortunately on one occasion a patient’s lead had fallen off as he lay sleeping. The nurse called a code due to the monitor’s flatline and he was rudely awakened by a pounding sensation on his chest. Who do you think was more startled? The Code team or the patient?

The 2 new studies reported a 12% increase in dispatcher guided CPR with no breaths given. Hands -only may become our next change. More bystanders maybe more willing to help if their mouth to mouth breaths can be eliminated.

One button will give you information on readiness of the battery and its expiration date. The compact design is easy to hold with its rubberized grips. A place for pad storage behind the AED is convenient. The video of pad placement, CPR compressions, rescue breathing, and a pause for defibrillation are shown and verbalized instructions are given in a calm and steady voice. The video is in full color and is definitely an asset to the rescuer(whether trained or not).

The Reviver is the latest design from the company which is devoted to saving lives.

Zoll has now become a leader in the international market for medical devices. The UK has over 200,000 deaths per year due to SCA (Sudden Cardiac Arrest). Early defibrillation increases reversal by 50%.  Zoll is expected to really make a difference to British subjects.

Zoll’s growth is due to their innovation of many various products and superior technology. Their competition is Cardiac Science Corporation, HeartSine Technologies, and Defibtech.

They have an M Series,E Series, R Series, Zoll Plus, Zoll Pro and the latest is the Lifevest Wearable Defibrillator.

The 6200 passenger ship (the largest in the world) was the backdrop of a passenger who collapsed on March 27 of this year. A fellow passenger (who happened to be a doctor) witnessed the arrest, called for a defibrillator and began CPR. The AED arrived and the shock converted the patient.

The passenger then transferred to a local hospital, received a stent proceedure, and is now recovering at home. The Royal Carribean Cruise Lines have placed Zoll defibrillators on all their 27 cruise ships and has 10 AEDs on the Oasis of the Seas.

The pro-active safety program of the cruise lines is to be commended.Passengers definitely come first.