Quote:
Originally Posted by DAVES
Like most things there will be a spun reality. With a heart attack time is or can be the difference between life and death.
We were approached by neighbors to contribute and we did. The pitch was if they got too much they would credit us back. They did get too much rather than issue refunds they bought two of them. More recently they were shaking us down for replacement batteries. As I recall from my internet research they are $400 each so $800 for the two in our small section.
Are they faster than EMT-emergency medical from the fire dept? Will the be in the way while struggling to find the key to the locked post. Will the EMT slow their response knowing that we have not one but two defibrillators close by. Are our well meaning amateurs able to diagnose accidental poisoning, drug overdose etc?
Nothing is ever perfect yet we expect demand that it is.
|
You may want to acquire a little knowledge of how the system works before speaking.
All responders have to go through a training and certification process. There is a complete protocol of action steps. First folks go straight to home to start CPR, next folks bring AED, an next clear path and watch for EMS.
You have six minutes where CPR must be started or you are brain damaged or worse. CPR keeps you alive until AED or EMS arrive.
Boxes have simple combination locks in our area, easy to open but secured from theft. Our Village has about 12 boxes scattered throughout the neighborhood.
Responders are dispatched via phone and Text by 911 operations only AFTER they have determined it is a Cardiac Arrest( your heart has stopped!). No AED alert goes out for Chest Pain or other Heart Attack symptoms, as the AED is not for Heart Attack, it is for Cardiac Arrest. Most certainly not alerted for anything else you mentioned unless that caused the persons heart to stop.
Response time for first arrivals in our neighborhood is three minutes or less, and yes there have been successes.