I'm an AED consultant with a focus on high-rise buildings, which I consider to be needlessly dangerous places to have a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
Why are they dangerous? Because EMS can't reliably get there in time, what with city traffic, address confusion, entrance and elevator security, etc. I don't think that situation will ever change - traffic and the human heart won't, for sure.
So I separate EMS vehicular rescues from AED in-house events. There is every prospect that a shock will be delivered in time if the AED is already in the building. From there I see EMS as consolidating the rescue.
I'd like to see FF's adopt AEDs as part of their inspection routine, and I have proposed to the International Fire Code secretariat that they include a provision for AEDs in every elevator lobby by 2013. See my website for the details - an alliance with FF's & the AED industry makes sense for me. You guys need an expanded health safety mandate (no?), and we need IFC support to get AEDs deployed intelligently. Where the public can see, learn about, and access them independently.
Is the "four minute limit" needed for successful AED shocks being met at all, in your experience, by EMS crews?
Your suggestions here would be much appreciated - I do want to understand vehicular SCA rescue realities - if I'm up on a high horse please let me know...
Why are they dangerous? Because EMS can't reliably get there in time, what with city traffic, address confusion, entrance and elevator security, etc. I don't think that situation will ever change - traffic and the human heart won't, for sure.
So I separate EMS vehicular rescues from AED in-house events. There is every prospect that a shock will be delivered in time if the AED is already in the building. From there I see EMS as consolidating the rescue.
I'd like to see FF's adopt AEDs as part of their inspection routine, and I have proposed to the International Fire Code secretariat that they include a provision for AEDs in every elevator lobby by 2013. See my website for the details - an alliance with FF's & the AED industry makes sense for me. You guys need an expanded health safety mandate (no?), and we need IFC support to get AEDs deployed intelligently. Where the public can see, learn about, and access them independently.
Is the "four minute limit" needed for successful AED shocks being met at all, in your experience, by EMS crews?
Your suggestions here would be much appreciated - I do want to understand vehicular SCA rescue realities - if I'm up on a high horse please let me know...
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