[F16 1UB]

HeartRescueNow.com

[philnpat]

Thanks so much for the post. I believe the rec centers have been equipped with AEDs. The units pretty much walk you through the process in case of emergency. YOU could save a life. Thanks again!

[superuke]

Not a good idea to use an AED unless you are certified to use one! In safety courses that certify you to use one, you are warned of this because of legal issues in different states.

[asianthree]

it would be nice if a cert person was there but it a case of life or death, turn it on listen to the instructions..and make sure you are clear.... yep i am a cert person, and so is my husband but if i am the one on the floor ...i am hoping no one waits to apply the pads and start the process waiting for a cert person to come walking by, just like the old days do you CPR and try to save them or wait for that fire truck to come, i am going to try to save the person and then let someone else take over when they show up

[faithfulfrank]

Originally Posted by superuke

Not a good idea to use an AED unless you are certified to use one! In safety courses that certify you to use one, you are warned of this because of legal issues in different states.

This is NOT true.
I rarely post, but as a retired NYS EMS and CPR Instructor and career firefighter/medic, (retired), I have to disagree.

An AED is there to use if need be. It is designed to be used by a layperson with no training if that is all there is around.

Please folks.......if someone is lying unresponsive get the AED. Open it. The directions are SIMPLE....designed for a novice who is nervous, etc.

Put on the sticky pads. Turn it on. It will NOT shock anyone unless they NEED it. Do not let someone possibly die because you are afraid of being sued. There are Good Samaritan Laws on the books to prevent you from successfully being sued.

An AED will ONLY shock if a person is in A-Fib or V-Tech......you do NOT have to know a thing.

Just do what it says. Turn it on. It does the rest. You can save a life.

I have used AED's and regular defibrillators for over 20 years. I have done CPR dozens of times. There are folks alive today because of it.

Since we are on the subject......PLEASE take a short CPR course. It is so easy. The classes are designed to be fun. I honestly do not understand how anyone could live in a place like this without knowing CPR. The life you might save could be a good friend or loved one. Imagine how you would feel if something could have been done, but you didn't know how....

Folks.....you CAN'T screw it up. It may sound crude but a person needing CPR is DEAD. You can't hurt dead. You can't make a person any "deader".....but you may save their life.

If by chance I drop dead in at the square some night, you have my permission not to just leave me dead, but to do something....anything...because when you are dead, it can only get better....

Frank

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by faithfulfrank

This is NOT true.
I rarely post, but as a retired NYS EMS and CPR Instructor and career firefighter/medic, (retired), I have to disagree.

An AED is there to use if need be. It is designed to be used by a layperson with no training if that is all there is around.

Please folks.......if someone is lying unresponsive get the AED. Open it. The directions are SIMPLE....designed for a novice who is nervous, etc.

Put on the sticky pads. Turn it on. It will NOT shock anyone unless they NEED it. Do not let someone possibly die because you are afraid of being sued. There are Good Samaritan Laws on the books to prevent you from successfully being sued.

An AED will ONLY shock if a person is in A-Fib or V-Tech......you do NOT have to know a thing.

Just do what it says. Turn it on. It does the rest. You can save a life.

I have used AED's and regular defibrillators for over 20 years. I have done CPR dozens of times. There are folks alive today because of it.

Since we are on the subject......PLEASE take a short CPR course. It is so easy. The classes are designed to be fun. I honestly do not understand how anyone could live in a place like this without knowing CPR. The life you might save could be a good friend or loved one. Imagine how you would feel if something could have been done, but you didn't know how....

Folks.....you CAN'T screw it up. It may sound crude but a person needing CPR is DEAD. You can't hurt dead. You can't make a person any "deader".....but you may save their life.

If by chance I drop dead in at the square some night, you have my permission not to just leave me dead, but to do something....anything...because when you are dead, it can only get better....

Frank

well said

[philnpat]

Thank you Frank and asianthree. You've both made excellent points...and if someone wants to sue me for trying, at least I'll be able to sleep at nite.

[Mikitv]

Our neighborhood just bought two AED's. About 23 of us went to the classes that the fire department teaches. The new AED's take you right through all the steps. The information they give for our area of Florida is way ahead of the nation in saving peoples lives. The most important thing we were taught was to start the compression's right away and keep doing them until EMS responds. You just might save a life and could be your own family.

[ronsroni]

Well, Frank, I am in need of an assist up from the floor as I am laughing the shine off of my shoes at your brilliant, poingnant and informative response where the AED's are concerned. having been in the field for 40 years, I marvel at the ever expanding technological advances being reached hourly. Honest to Pepsi, if I find someone gonezo on the floor, gonna give that chest a thumpin' to get that heart a pumpin' for absolute certain. I will admit, most times it feels great to jump start someones ticker. Love it.
Thanks, Frank. All the best. BTW... AED's are easier than Colorforms.

[gafinn]

I am new to talk of the villages. But I to agree with what Frank said. I am a retired Paramedic from the fire dept. in Ocala. The AED is put there for a reason....DON"T be AFRAID to use it! It will talk you through all of the steps. And as Frank said, it will not shock unless you are in V-Tach/V-Fib. The bast advice if you are to scared to use it just continue with compressions till help arrives. Just be advised...if you are at the pool and someone falls over in cardiac arrest...PLEASE dry them off before you try to shock! I will be more than happy to teach short CPR & AED courses. I am still a CERTIFIED FLORIDA STATE PARAMEDIC, and I am obtaining my RN. I am certified in CPR and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. The new CPR (BASIC) per-American Heart is stright compressions for the bystander until proffesional help arrives.If anyone is interested give me a reply.
Kim

[KayakerNC]

Evidently, all is not right in the Defib world.

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/23/h...ions.html?_r=0

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Mikitv

Our neighborhood just bought two AED's. About 23 of us went to the classes that the fire department teaches. The new AED's take you right through all the steps. The information they give for our area of Florida is way ahead of the nation in saving peoples lives. The most important thing we were taught was to start the compression's right away and keep doing them until EMS responds. You just might save a life and could be your own family.

Our neighborhood hasn't purchased ours yet. We heard the presentation but haven't gotten around to signing people up.

On Tuesday new neighbors moved in. They both had not lived here before, didn't know any one in TV and had met a few of us at the Christmas party for the first time and went home to await the completion of their new home.

On Friday (yesterday) after spending just three days in their new home, the husband had a heart attack and one of our neighbors performed compressins until the EMS came. They used the AED and even injected his heart to no avail. He passed on. We are all so sad for her as I know anyone who reads this will be.

Prayers for her please, and for him too.

And all of you think about having a defribillator in your neighborhood. No one KNOWS when it will be needed. We are so glad some of our neighbors had already started training and one was able to do compressions until the EMS arrived.

[Mikitv]

I neighborhood bought two AED's and almost all of us have taken the training in CPR and AED use. I for one am glad we have them here.

[msendo]

As in the previous posts, good advice was given as far as using the AED,S. As far as CPR goes, it is chest compressions that is getting the blood to circulate. The American heart Association has newer recommendations for doing CPR. It is so much user friendly than it was in the past. Don't be afraid of it.

[murray607]

Originally Posted by KayakerNC

Evidently, all is not right in the Defib world.

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/23/h...ions.html?_r=0

Interesting, but they don't say how many lives have been saved.

From these figures of failures relating to number of machines in usage the rate is less than 0.02%. No machine is perfect and failures happen,but I am glad that the FDA is looking at imroving reliability.

I am trained in ACLS as well as Advanced ITLS and use 12 lead EKG/defibrilators (Lifepak 12's and 15's) as well as AED's and can tell you that even the state of the art 12-lead units can fail occasionally.

But, like anything else that has electronics, good preventative maintenance goes a long way to ensuring public safety, especially attention to the battery condition and checks on the machine function.

Most AED companies have users send the AED to them at a service interval or after discharge, but it is up to those looking after the AED's to make sure the schedules are followed.

I think it would be a bad move to remove AED's, or that they only be used by those trained. The machines talk you through the actions needed and only allow a shock if a shockable rythm is detected (Ventricular Fibrillation or Ventricular Tachycardia) they will not shock asystole or pulseless electrical activity. The user essentially does not have to make the decision, the machine does that for them.

The biggest danger exists when no-one will take the initiative to use an AED

And I know of lives saved by public usage of AED's