CETS’ AED Awareness - A week in Review
Thank you for everyone’s support on social media and to the Cochrane locations that participated in our daily posts. The biggest obstacle with promoting the importance of AED awareness and education is the common belief of ‘it will never happen to me.” We are all guilty of this! However, it’s alarming to realize that the statistics show 80% of cardiac arrests are occurring outside of the hospital – meaning at home or in public. We hope to further educate the community to be aware that cardiac arrest can happen to anyone and at any time - accidents are never something we plan for. Cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction that stops the heart from beating effectively. A person experiencing a cardiac arrest will collapse and be unresponsive.
Cardiac arrest can occur: - At any age. - At any time. - To people of all fitness levels. - Without warning.
Trained First Aid & CPR providers, who deliver immediate intervention, significantly increase survival rates. For every minute that passes without defibrillation, survival decreases by 7-10%. During cardiac arrest, seconds matter. That is why it is essential to gain the confidence and skills required to act quickly, prior to EMS arrival.
While CPR helps to pump blood and oxygen to vital organs, in most cases the only way to correct a cardiac arrest is to deliver a shock from a defibrillator. Alongside CPR, the early use of an Automated External Defibrillator increases survival rates by over 75%! This striking statistic has been the motivation behind Cochrane Emergency Training Services push to promote AED community awareness.
It is our hope that you consider taking a course with us in the future to gain additional training and hands on practice, but in the mean time we’d love to provide you with as much information as possible to feel prepared. Below is CETS’ free AED user manual. This document reviews tricks and tips to help you better understand how to use a defibrillator.
CETS' Free AED Manual
Our 7 Spotlight Cochrane AED locations:
1.
First Stop on the AED awareness tour: Crossfit Cochrane
AED: >$1600 Maintenance and supplies: $150/year Improving survival rates by up to 75%: Priceless
AED fact: an Automated External Defibrillator uses energy the restore a a natural heart rhythm. Irregular heart rhythms cause inadequate pumping of blood and oxygen thus cardiac arrest occurs.
Thank you CrossFit Cochrane for being home to a publicly accessible AED!
2.
AED awareness week shout out #2 - Cochrane RanchHouse
AED fact: an AED will only shock if it detects an abnormal heart rhythm. If it analyzes a normal “lub dub” heart beat or no electrical activity at all - it will say NO shock advised. This means that it is impossible to deliver a shock to someone who won’t benefit from it.
How smart is that?!
3.
Yipeee for AED awareness week day #3!
The Canadian Brewhouse owns an AED in Cochrane.
Thank you to The Brewhouse for being an access point!
AED fact: This machine will analyze and shock (if needed) every 2 minutes. In the mean time you are performing high quality CPR.
Most two minute tasks might not seem like a long time when you’re talking about brushing your teeth or the time it takes to eat 12 delicious Brewhouse chicken wings. But two minutes of CPR can feel like forever!
4.
Day 4- let’s learn more
Both the Cochrane Family & Community Support Services and Cochrane Parent Link Centre have AEDs accessible on site.
AED Fact: these machines often come with both ‘Adult’ and ‘Child’ sized adhesive pads. However, if child pads are unavailable, its is safe to use the adult pads on a small child by placing one pad on the front of their chest and one on their upper back. The cause of cardiac arrest in children is often secondary to a respiratory insult leading to an inadequate oxygen supply.
5.
Staying alive with AED Awareness day #5.
Seniors on the Bow is an available AED location in Cochrane, Alberta.⠀ ⠀ AED fact: for every minute of cardiac arrest that passes without the use of an AED, survival rates drop by up to 10%. Cardiac arrest is NOT the same as a heart attack. It can happen to anyone, at any age, at anytime.
6.
Day 6 - here’s an AED fix. ⠀ ⠀ Manachaban Middle School not only has an AED, but they have the trained staff to go with it! Many schools in Alberta have pushed to have onsite AEDs⠀ ⠀ AED fact: Although it is taught and safe practice to ‘clear’ (not be touching) the victim as an AED delivers a shock, the chances of the electrical shock being transferred to you is highly unlikely. This is because the adhesive pads use biphasic technology to deliver and then absorb the electrical current. ⠀ ⠀ Nothing scary about that!
7.
AED Awareness week Finale! Cochrane Eco Centre. ⠀ ⠀ AED fact: The two biggest obstacles we face as a society when it comes to AEDs, is lack of location awareness and lack of user training. We can not advocate enough for these devices. We are all guilty of the blissful belief that ‘it will never happen’ but being prepared for the ‘what if’ is what we are here for.
References:
- http://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart/conditions/cardiac-arrest
- http://www.aedstoday.com/AED-Facts_ep_52.html