Oregon Company Helps Businesses Face the Challenge of Saving Lives
From Jenée Bader – Paramedic and owner of HeartLINK Health Services
Many businesses are unaware of a new law going into effect on January 1, 2010 requiring the presence of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at large facilities where the public gathers.
Senate Bill 556 defines large facilities as over 50,000 square feet, which is roughly one city block.
While the law requires large facilities to have an AED, it is recommended that businesses have an AED located within three minutes for anyone inside of the building.
To give background on why AEDs are important is because each year over 950,000 Americans die from cardiovascular disease and at least 250,000 Americans die each year from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) before they reach the hospital. SCA can affect anyone at any age in any physical condition.
Most often SCA is caused by an abnormal heart rhythm called Ventricular Fibrillation or VF. The only treatment for VF is electrical defibrillation, which is provided by an AED. Use of an AED combined with high quality CPR can significantly increase survival rates. Locations that have implemented an AED program that incorporates high quality CPR and delivers the first shock within 3 minutes after collapse reported survival rates as high as 74%. This is compared to only 5% survival rates in areas without an AED program.
Having an AED on-site with trained personnel is critical to program success and can mean the difference between life and death for a colleague, friend or loved one. (Statistics and information used from the American Heart Association AED Implementation guide: www.americanheart.org)
It is recommended that organizations receive training and purchase an AED from a reputable source. HeartLINK Health Services is an Oregon based company that provides a comprehensive AED program including the AED unit, training and ongoing compliance with local and state laws. Training is performed using the American Heart Association guidelines and always incorporates AED use. Call (503) 551-5560 or e-mail jb@heartlinkcpr.com today for more information, schedule a free AED educational presentation or to have a discussion about implementing an AED program into your office.