[Kevin Knussman]

When I moved into The Villages last year I was approached by my neighbors to join the Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) response program. As a paramedic moving from a Maryland county with an aggressive AED program, I was beyond mildly interested and took the required training program through the PSD as soon as it was available. Let me give you the information as I view it.
Various villages have AEDs purchased by the residents of that particular village. According to the last report issued by TV PSD there are 249 AED groups with a total of 649 AEDs in service. The program has over 4700 volunteer neighborhood responders that are trained in CPR and AED use.
The report states that there were a total of 87 cardiac arrests reported in The Villages during the first six months of 2021. Thirty-four were located in areas with active neighborhood responders. The AEDs were placed on patients four times.
Those are the latest statistics that I have.
Why such a low placement ratio? I suspect that much of the time NHN responders find a person is obviously dead and not a candidate for CPR, or TVPSD arrived prior to deployment of the AED. First responder might arrive before or simultaneously with NHN responders. Please allow me to explain further...
When a 911 call is placed and a cardiac arrest reported NHN responders get a automated phone call and text sending them to the address where the emergency is located. Some responders may respond directly to the address and begin CPR while others will retrieve an AED and take it to the location.
We have an incredibly fast response from PSD and allied agencies. A cardiac arrest will result in multiple units being dispatched. Occasionally the closest unit/s are already on another response resulting in a potential delay.
NHN responders may initiate CPR and deploy the AED, if appropriate, prior to arrival of first responders. NHN volunteers may also continue to assist in CPR and other support functions until there are an adequate number of first responders at the patient side engaged in care.
Sudden cardiac arrest response with CPR and an AED is critical. It has been reported that the chance of survival goes down 10% every minute after arrest, but the chance of a good outcome is really front loaded in the first five minutes.
Once the electrical activity in the heart has deteriorated and the chemistry of the cells degrade the opportunity to restore a pulse with a shock is eliminated.
Paramedics can give drugs with the hope of stimulating a shockable heart rhythm but it is a dire situation.
However, with immediate CPR, and if a heart is shocked back into a circulating rhythm the patient has a good chance of a positive outcome. The patient can be transported to a hospital capable of emergent placement of a cardiac stent to restore circulation to the area of the heart beyond the blockage.
Please note, not all cardiac arrest are a result of a blockage. Some are the result of other medical issues such as respiratory arrest from an overdose, or an electrocution. These emergencies also benefit from immediate CPR and AED deployment. Cardiac care has seen revolutionary developments over the last decade with spectacular improvements in patient quality of life.
The Villages has a model program and is nationally recognized. There were seven new neighborhoods added to the program in the last six months. Reported cardiac arrest "save" rates are around 40%. Compare that to less than 10% in other communities across the country.
Contributions to the program are completely voluntary, but may save your life or the life of someone close to you. It is completely your choice to contribute, but it will be appreciated by your neighbors, some of which will respond to your cardiac arrest if it happens!
I hope this better explains the importance of having a well organized team to respond to sudden cardiac arrest in our community.
Kevin Knussman, Paramedic
Village of Briar Meadow
Easton, Maryland