Does your street/neighborhood, have an AED?

[pooh]

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Godon Ewy talked about the "new" method of resuscitation being used on individuals who have sudden cardiac arrest....compressions only. A much easier, though still work, method to help those in arrest maintain oxygen to the brain. He also talked about the number of AED devices here in TV neighborhoods. At this point, there are enough in place to cover 6000 homes I believe he said....that's approximately 12,000 individuals.
We have two AEDs on our street, we have 65 homes. The 4 other streets behind us, total of 65 homes, have their own. David Rowland was also in attendance....his life was saved by compression only CPR and the use of an AED.
They are an expense, but when neighborhood members contribute, the cost per household isn't beyond anyone's budget.

If you are unaware of this new CPR technique, here's a short video. Continuous Chest Compression CPR

Remember the life saved could be yours.

[memason]

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Godon Ewy talked about the "new" method of resuscitation being used on individuals who have sudden cardiac arrest....compressions only. A much easier, though still work, method to help those in arrest maintain oxygen to the brain. He also talked about the number of AED devices here in TV neighborhoods. At this point, there are enough in place to cover 6000 homes I believe he said....that's approximatel 12,000 individuals.
We have two AEDs on our street, we have 65 homes. The 4 other streets behind us, total of 65 homes, have their own. David Rowland was also in attendance....his life was saved by compression only CPR and the use of an AED.
They are an expense, but when neighborhood members contribute, the cost per household isn't beyond anyone's budget.

If you are unaware of this new CPR technique, here's a short video. Continuous Chest Compression CPR (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcbgpiKyUbs)

Remember the life saved could be yours.

Pooh... Could you explain a little about the logistics of the AED.


Where are they kept?
Are they accessible 24/7?
Is training available and do all residents get trained?
Approximate cost/AED


Sounds like a good idea to have in the neighborhood!

Thanks for the post!

[starflyte1]

Thank you for posting great information!

[billethkid]

Where are they kept?
People in our village volunteer a spot on their home.

Are they accessible 24/7?
Yes.

Is training available and do all residents get trained?
Yes and no. Training is given to those in our village who volunteer to be neighborhood "first responders". When 911 is dialed they are the first to be paged by the dispatch system. They can be in a nearby home within minutes prior to arrival of the ambulance. The first responders are provided pagers that are integrated into the emergency dispatch system.
There is an annual refresher course required for first responders.

Approximate cost/AED
We did ours 7 or 8 years ago and if I remember correctly it wound up being $200 to $300 per household.



I believe any of TV fire stations can lead one to whom to talk to about such a program.

btk

[memason]

Where are they kept?
People in our village volunteer a spot on their home.

Are they accessible 24/7?
Yes.

Is training available and do all residents get trained?
Yes and no. Training is given to those in our village who volunteer to be neighborhood "first responders". When 911 is dialed they are the first to be paged by the dispatch system. They can be in a nearby home within minutes prior to arrival of the ambulance. The first responders are provided pagers that are integrated into the emergency dispatch system.
There is an annual refresher course required for first responders.

Approximate cost/AED
We did ours 7 or 8 years ago and if I remember correctly it wound up being $200 to $300 per household.



I believe any of TV fire stations can lead one to whom to talk to about such a program.

btk


Thanks BTK!

[Marigold]

Earlier this year Capt. Gail Lazenby of the Villages Public Safety Dept. came to one of our neighborhood socials to discuss the importance of having AEDs in each neighborhood. Gail is an excellent speaker and staunch proponent of this program. As a group we felt that this was definitely something we would want. A small group was formed to coordinate efforts to inform all the residents in our neighborhood known as The Buttonwood Islanders about the program. Emails were sent out explaining the program and asking if the residents would be willing to financially support it. With almost 100 percent participation we went forward establishing a checking account, collecting the money, buying the equipment and receiving training. We are proud that our neighborhood now has two AEDs along with trained first responders.
I also attended Dr. Ewy's presentation yesterday and was glad to see so many Villagers in attendance. I hope that others are motivated to contact Capt. Lazenby and begin the steps to make their neighborhood an AED one. It is not hard to do and the life that's saved could be yours.
The Public Safety Department has CPR training for anyone who is interested in it. The training does not take a lot of time. Talk to you neighbors, make the call and come on board.

[Chuckw]

I have worked on the startup of several Neighborhood AED programs and although all may vary somewhat in how they run, they mostly share the following:

1. Normal distribution: 1 AED to approx 30-35 homes.

2. Cost per AED: Approx $2,000

3. Contributions are received from homes within the area to be covered. (i.e.; Chestnut St, or 264 - 988 Main Street.
a. All homes in the covered area must be included in the program, even if they do not contribute.

4. All persons in the covered area are eligible for CPR and AED training at no cost.

5. Volunteer responders are registered in an alert notification system. Only responders are given a key to the locked AED which is located on the outside of home(s) in the covered area.

6. I have attached a sample pamphlet which is now several months old, but the concepts are the same... only the costs may be changed to protect the organizers.

7. I have a standing offer through the Villages Homeowner's Association to work with anyone interested in starting a program, to get it rolling... once you determine you are going ahead you will be working with Captain Lazenby of TV Public Safety... Of course, you can also start with Capt Lazenby if you wish.

8. PM me if you want further information.

6. The best thing in the world that can happen is that the units are installed and never needed. BUT, if needed, it is comforting to know that a program is in place.

[pooh]

Pooh... Could you explain a little about the logistics of the AED.


Where are they kept?
Are they accessible 24/7?
Is training available and do all residents get trained?
Approximate cost/AED


Sounds like a good idea to have in the neighborhood!

Thanks for the post!

We have two on our street, Mike. Both are attached to the exterior of homes....one is in a locked case attached to the side of my garage, the other is down the street, in another locked case attached to the garage of another house. People have volunteered to be responders, they have the keys to the cases, and those individuals took CPR courses and learned how to use the AEDs. Actually, the AEDs tell you exactly what to do with written instructions and voice prompts. Initially we had pagers to alert us to the need to get a move on to a cardiac arrest event on our street....once 911 is called and informed of a cardiac arrest, our pagers would go off telling where to head out to. We have since switched to an automated telephone response system. The fee is a little higher, but more accurate. Pagers were plagued with low battery problems and invalid alerts.
We had our training at the fire department, Capt. Lazenby was our instructor. You can contact him for any information you might need concerning the AED's.
Since the devices are located on the exterior of homes, they are accessible at any time. The cost, at the time we purchased, was approximately $50 to $60/household. The devices might be a bit more expensive now and you do have to pay for whatever paging system you use. We currently pay less than $15/household /year for our alert system. Figures are all approximate....I don't do the billing, one of our dear neighbors does and we haven't received our bill for this year.

One thing that was sort of funny....a few years ago, our pagers went off, alerting us to a cardiac problem at an elderly neighbor's house. Mike and I grabbed the AED, got in the golf cart and headed down the street. A total of 11 responders showed up. One of our responders knocked on the door.....no answer....she knocked once again....no answer. The men were just about ready to push open or break down the door when it slowly opened. There was our dear, elderly neighbor. Poor thing. She looked more frightened than ill... ;) 11 people with two AEDs standing at her front door. Thought she was going to need it! The pager system had issued a test, though the word test never did show up initially....and an address....so good neighbors that we all are, off we went to try and help someone in need.
(One of the reasons, this false alert, that helped sway us to a different company for paging.)

Every once in a while, the fire department will issue a test run....they place a dummy outside of someone's house, issue an alert and then watch to see how many respond, how well they perform. Our last one was on a very hot mid morning....but there was a good response and we got a good review from Capt. Lazenby.

[pooh]

i have worked on the startup of several neighborhood aed programs and although all may vary somewhat in how they run, they mostly share the following:

1. Normal distribution: 1 aed to approx 30-35 homes.

2. Cost per aed: Approx $2,000

3. Contributions are received from homes within the area to be covered. (i.e.; chestnut st, or 264 - 988 main street.
A. All homes in the covered area must be included in the program, even if they do not contribute.

4. All persons in the covered area are eligible for cpr and aed training at no cost.

5. Volunteer responders are registered in an alert notification system. Only responders are given a key to the locked aed which is located on the outside of home(s) in the covered area.

6. I have attached a sample pamphlet which is now several months old, but the concepts are the same... Only the costs may be changed to protect the organizers.

7. I have a standing offer through the villages homeowner's association to work with anyone interested in starting a program, to get it rolling... Once you determine you are going ahead you will be working with captain lazenby of tv public safety... Of course, you can also start with capt lazenby if you wish.

8. Pm me if you want further information.

6. The best thing in the world that can happen is that the units are installed and never needed. But, if needed, it is comforting to know that a program is in place.

thank you!

[Marigold]

Cost per household depends upon the number of households participating. Our neighborhood cost was $100.00 per home. Note that this is not a yearly cost. The money goes for the equipment and the maintenance of the Ready Alert notification to our first responders by phone, text and email.

[memason]

We have two on our street, Mike. Both are attached to the exterior of homes....one is in a locked case attached to the side of my garage, the other is down the street, in another locked case attached to the garage of another house. People have volunteered to be responders, they have the keys to the cases, and those individuals took CPR courses and learned how to use the AEDs. Actually, the AEDs tell you exactly what to do with written instructions and voice prompts. Responders were given keys to the locked boxes containing the AED's. Initially we had pagers to alert us to the need to get a move on to a cardiac arrest event on our street....once 911 is called and informed of a cardiac arrest, our pagers would go off telling where to head out to. We have since switched to an automated telephone response system. The fee is a little higher, but more accurate. Pagers were plagued with low battery problems and invalid alerts.
We had our training at the fire department, Capt. Lazenby was our instructor. You can contact him for any information you might need concerning the AED's.
Since the devices are located on the exterior of homes, they are accessible at any time. The cost, at the time we purchased, was approximately $50 to $60/household. The devices might be a bit more expensive now and you do have to pay for whatever paging system you use. We currently pay less than $15/household /year for our alert system. Figures are all approximate....I don't do the billing, one of our dear neighbors does and we haven't received our bill for this year.

One thing that was sort of funny....a few years ago, our pagers went off, alerting us to a cardiac problem at an elderly neighbor's house. Mike and I grabbed the AED, got in the golf cart and headed down the street. A total of 11 responders showed up. One of our responders knocked on the door.....no answer....she knocked once again....no answer. The men were just about ready to push open or break down the door when it slowly opened. There was our dear, elderly neighbor. Poor thing. She looked more frightened than ill... ;) 11 people with two AEDs standing at her front door. Thought she was going to need it! The pager system had issued a test, though the word test never did show up initially....and an address....so good neighbors that we all are, off we went to try and help someone in need.
(One of the reasons, this false alert, that helped sway us to a different company for paging.)

Every once in a while, the fire department will issue a test run....they place a dummy outside of someone's house, issue an alert and then watch to see how many respond, how well they perform. Our last one was on a very hot mid morning....but there was a good response and we got a good review from Capt. Lazenby.

Thanks Pooh.... I might try to organize something like this for our neighborhood.
Mike

[Mikeod]

Beyond the fee for the notification system, it's a good idea to create a fund to cover replacement of the batteries in the AEDs. They last a few years, but are somewhat expensive to replace. We noticed the green light that indicates the AED was fully charged and operational had turned to red on ours, indicating it could not provide a shock if needed. So we checked the other one and it, too, was red. So we had both batteries replaced quickly so we would not be without a functioning AED. It helped that we had the fund already to cover both batteries.

BTW. The AEDs sit in the case outside and are not connected to any power source, so there is no cost to the homeowner on whose house the AED is stored.

[Villages PL]

Pooh, just as you have pointed out many times, one diet plan won't suit everyone because everyone is different. Well, this plan is not for me. One downside, in my opinion, is that it enables people to continue their unhealthy lifestyles with this added sense of security. Some might say a false sense of security.

And, for those who might not remember, "we are all going to die sooner or later". This was told to me time and time again as I tried to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle.

If people don't care enough about themselves to live healthier lifestyles, why should I care?

[pooh]

Pooh, just as you have pointed out many times, one diet plan won't suit everyone because everyone is different. Well, this plan is not for me. One downside, in my opinion, is that it enables people to continue their unhealthy lifestyles with this added sense of security. Some might say a false sense of security.

And, for those who might not remember, "we are all going to die sooner or later". This was told to me time and time again as I tried to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle.

If people don't care enough about themselves to live healthier lifestyles, why should I care?

Maybe not for you VPL, but remember, there are reasons that someone's heart might stop beating that are totally unrelated to diet. The heart has its own electrical stimulation system. The immediate cause of sudden cardiac arrest is usually an abnormality in your heart rhythm (arrhythmia), the result of a malfunction in your heart's electrical system. There is also valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease and electrical problems with t he heart itself. Of course heart attack as well as CAD also can bring about cardiac arrest.

We have some neighbors who will not contribute to the AED program on our street, but if responders receive the call to get to a neighbor in need, off they will go...doesn't matter if they contribute or not....we want to offer potentially life saving help if needed.
While your thinking that this might be considered a safety net by some who choose to eat with reckless abandon, surviving because of the quick response of paramedics or neighborhood AED responders, may be just the wake up call they need, assuming they indeed do wake up.

Did you attend yesterday's presentation?

[rjm1cc]

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Godon Ewy talked about the "new" method of resuscitation being used on individuals who have sudden cardiac arrest....compressions only. A much easier, though still work, method to help those in arrest maintain oxygen to the brain. He also talked about the number of AED devices here in TV neighborhoods. At this point, there are enough in place to cover 6000 homes I believe he said....that's approximatel 12,000 individuals.
We have two AEDs on our street, we have 65 homes. The 4 other streets behind us, total of 65 homes, have their own. David Rowland was also in attendance....his life was saved by compression only CPR and the use of an AED.
They are an expense, but when neighborhood members contribute, the cost per household isn't beyond anyone's budget.

If you are unaware of this new CPR technique, here's a short video. Continuous Chest Compression CPR (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcbgpiKyUbs)

Remember the life saved could be yours.

I did not realize this was being done. The video was good, now I think I will remember and could do it.

Might post a reminder every quarter.

[Villages PL]

Did you attend yesterday's presentation?

No, I didn't because I felt it wouldn't be of interest to me.

And as far as all of those cardiac events you mentioned, people better be sure to pay attention to how they feel and not overstress themselves, go for regular check ups, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight and get moderate exercise.

One question about singles: If a single person drops to the floor and goes unconscious, how will this system help them?

[pooh]

No, I didn't because I felt it wouldn't be of interest to me.

And as far as all of those cardiac events you mentioned, people better be sure to pay attention to how they feel and not overstress themselves, go for regular check ups, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight and get moderate exercise.

One question about singles: If a single person drops to the floor and goes unconscious, how will this system help them?

It won't...just as it might not help if anyone was home alone. The entire 911 system only works if someone can call 911, however this is not sufficient reason to eliminate AEDs in neighborhoods. People can go into cardiac arrest anywhere....outside, inside, at a shopping mall, at home. Workers at your home or in the neighborhood can go into cardiac arrest. Remember, someone could feel just not right, call 911 themselves, then collapse. We never know when we may be stricken. Have two friends, one with congenital heart problems, another with cardiac electrical problems. The congenital condition wasn't discovered for many, many years...bypass surgery done in her 50's....the other with such severe electrical problems that devices are implanted and still problems must be addressed. Both watch their diets and engage in exercise approved by their physicians. These conditions aren't the result of poor diet choices, VPL, one was unlucky enough to get a ??? heart from the genetic soup that resulted in her. The other one developed problems over the years.... probably an inherited situation or genetic screw-up. We do what we feel will help the majority, though not all will be helped. We participate if we want to, no one is forced to. Getting there quickly may or may not help....but remember, if we get there, the person is essentially already dead...we're just trying to help bring them back. It might work, it might not, but it can't hurt.
May we both be blessed with not having this sort of situation. Live long and prosper, I truly mean that.... :)

[Villages PL]

It won't...just as it might not help if anyone was home alone. The entire 911 system only works if someone can call 911, however this is not sufficient reason to eliminate AEDs in neighborhoods. People can go into cardiac arrest anywhere....outside, inside, at a shopping mall, at home. Workers at your home or in the neighborhood can go into cardiac arrest. Remember, someone could feel just not right, call 911 themselves, then collapse. We never know when we may be stricken. Have two friends, one with congenital heart problems, another with cardiac electrical problems. The congenital condition wasn't discovered for many, many years...bypass surgery done in her 50's....the other with such severe electrical problems that devices are implanted and still problems must be addressed. Both watch their diets and engage in exercise approved by their physicians. These conditions aren't the result of poor diet choices, VPL, one was unlucky enough to get a ??? heart from the genetic soup that resulted in her. The other one developed problems over the years.... probably an inherited situation or genetic screw-up. We do what we feel will help the majority, though not all will be helped. We participate if we want to, no one is forced to. Getting there quickly may or may not help....but remember, if we get there, the person is essentially already dead...we're just trying to help bring them back. It might work, it might not, but it can't hurt.
May we both be blessed with not having this sort of situation. Live long and prosper, I truly mean that.... :)

Thanks for your reply, pooh. You know me, I'm always trying to make sense of things. Perhaps I should have gone to the lecture. But I believe tickets would have been needed and I didn't think it was worth making two trips.

Here are some questions I thought of after reading the article in yesterday's paper. Perhaps you'll have an answer because you were at the lecture.

How many lives have been saved in the past year that were solely due to the use of AEDs?

The newspaper said the survival rate was 44 percent last year. After reading an article about AEDs, one might mistakingly think the 44% survival rate pertains solely to AEDs. But that is the overall survival rate. From what I understand, there are about 122 (911) heart attack calls per year, of which 54 survive. And of those 54 survivers some of the credit goes to compressions where an AED is not available. Some credit is due to the fact that emergency responders can now give quick EKGs in the home before transporting someone to the hospital, not to mention other possible proceedures they do today that were not available in previous years.

So, I guess my question is this: How many AEDs are there in the villages and how many lives-saved are solely attributable to them each year? As far as I know we don't have a separate percentage or statistic for this.

Best regards, stay well.

[Trish Crocker]

We have an AED that we will be bringing with us. Steve bought it for his office about a year or two ago and we were all given a demonstrations on how to use it. Actually, they are very user friendly and there is a voice command that walks you through it. The idea of putting it in a spot accessible to our neighbors is a great one. When we finally GET a neighborhood we will be talking with our new neighbors/friends.

[pooh]

Thanks for your reply, pooh. You know me, I'm always trying to make sense of things. Perhaps I should have gone to the lecture. But I believe tickets would have been needed and I didn't think it was worth making two trips.

Here are some questions I thought of after reading the article in yesterday's paper. Perhaps you'll have an answer because you were at the lecture.

How many lives have been saved in the past year that were solely due to the use of AEDs?

The newspaper said the survival rate was 44 percent last year. After reading an article about AEDs, one might mistakingly think the 44% survival rate pertains solely to AEDs. But that is the overall survival rate. From what I understand, there are about 122 (911) heart attack calls per year, of which 54 survive. And of those 54 survivers some of the credit goes to compressions where an AED is not available. Some credit is due to the fact that emergency responders can now give quick EKGs in the home before transporting someone to the hospital, not to mention other possible proceedures they do today that were not available in previous years.

So, I guess my question is this: How many AEDs are there in the villages and how many lives-saved are solely attributable to them each year? As far as I know we don't have a separate percentage or statistic for this.

Best regards, stay well.


The lecture was open to all, no tickets required for this event. Responders from our street attended along with people from the fire department....maybe EMT's, as well as a fairly good number of Villagers.

Actually, I don't know how many lives have been saved because of AEDs, but what's important to those of us who have them in our neighborhood is that we have them if needed. The fire department and EMTs do respond quickly, but we neighbors could be at the home of someone who needs CPR or and AED pretty quickly, too, probably just a few minutes before help arrives, but every minute of CPR helps the victim's chances of survival.

There are enough AEDs to cover 6000 households, approximately 12,000 people in neighborhoods that have the devices. Generally one AED per 30-35 individuals. It's up to the homeowners how many they'll have in their area. Neighborhoods or neighbors on streets can decide to become AED owners. The AED is only one part of revival potential, CPR is used first and foremost. The new technique is much easier to do....no checking for breathing, no clearing airway, no removal of clothing, just compressions, compressions, compressions. Blood is oxygenated, you're just helping it circulate to the brain and heart until medical help arrives. AED's are better used if there is another individual helping...that way compressions can continue until ready to shock. One can continue compressions while the other person sets up the AED. Once pads are in place, the AED will tell whether to shock or not. All of this, CPR and having an AED, is sort of like having just a bit of insurance ..... hopefully, neither the CPR nor the AED will be needed. The fire department may have the figures you're looking for VPL, specifically, Capt. Lazenby might know, I don't.

You stay well, too, VPL, ... :)