[KRMACK55]

Originally Posted by Annie66

My wife and I are AED/CPR responders having been trained here in TVs by the local CERT. First of all, the AEDs are locked because they are expensive and subject to being pilfered. Each responder has a key to the lock, so worrying if we can find a key is unfounded. With enough responders in an area, the call-out process is to head to the address, and once sufficient responders arrive, one or more go to the AED site and retrieve the equipment just to have it on site if needed.

I believe the latest data shows that here in TVs, responders arrive on site within 3-4 minutes of notification and fire dept and/or EMS in 5-6 minutes. First responders receive the callout via phone call, text message and email. Enough means that I personally believe we will get the emergency notification in a timely manner, day or night.

Every minute where a patient is not treated, they loose roughly 10% probability of survival. Enough reason not only to support your local group financially, but to become a local AED/CPR responder.

The numbers you quote come from where ? Have you seen in the villages news about disasters in response time and it was north of 44. You lose not loose.

[Libandana]

First time replying…I’m coordinator of Labelle South..156 homes, 3 AEDs, 20 responders, 2 alternates (alternates step in when active responder is unable to participate..vacation, surgery recovery etc)
We asked 100.00 per home 2 years ago in the hopes we could obtain at least 1; our neighborhood evidently saw the value in this program to the tune of 131 home contribution. The initial idea, per Fire house suggestion, was to have enough money to purchase, have pad and battery replacement and Ready alert money in the coffers for 4 years. Unless something major happens…theft etc..we should have enough money we will not have to “beg” our neighbors for nearly 8 years.
This is potentially a program to help save a life of you as a villager and ANY one visiting your home..children, grandkids, renters, visitors etc.
I personally believe that’s an extremely nominal amount for a more than decent possibility I/we can help save your life. I also personally believe if you are NOT interested in participating money wise to our or any other community our people will still ride to your rescue! Those who are responders are extremely passionate about this; we’ll be there for you and will step aside when EMS arrives

[cherylncliff]

Originally Posted by kpd3062

So I live in a newer Village. Neighbors have been collecting to purchase some AED’s. One of my neighbors said in his last Village he was one of the “Captain’s “ I think they are called. I asked how often the AED’s were used and he said never to his knowledge. I was wondering if there are statistics on how often they are used in TV and the success rates? Thanks

A community AED (and the trained users to go with it) is like insurance. You hope you will never need it but you want to be prepared in case you do. We have had ours for about 6 years and have had three call outs in that time period. Two were already too late, one was resuscitated but died later.

[gdennis317]

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.

[Annie66]

Originally Posted by KRMACK55

The numbers you quote come from where ? Have you seen in the villages news about disasters in response time and it was north of 44. You lose not loose.

Just attended the Resident Academy and the fire chief quoted those numbers. He is a big proponent of the AED program.

[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by KRMACK55

The numbers you quote come from where ? Have you seen in the villages news about disasters in response time and it was north of 44. You lose not loose.

Originally Posted by Annie66

Just attended the Resident Academy and the fire chief quoted those numbers. He is a big proponent of the AED program.

[Windguy]

Originally Posted by Mlogan22@tampabay.rr.com

We have CYV in Allendale, Village of Duval. How does one find out who the key keeper is? My husband has a bad heart.

To be honest, you don’t need to know. You won’t be given access to the AED unless you join the team and are trained.

CALL 911 FIRST! Not your neighbors.

911 will notify the neighborhood responders.

Our neighborhood has four AEDs. We have had only one cardiac arrest and the FD actually got there first. We live just a mile from the FD, but they may be off on another call, so we need the AED program. It’s cheap insurance.

[Red Rose]

AEDS are only as good as the response time of a "captain". There are usually more than 1 in a neighborhood, I'd course. There is an AED in our neighborhood, but since those people who organized and collected the money for it have moved away several years ago, who knows who is in charge or if there are any volunteer "captains" around anymore or if the defibrillator is attached to that house anymore. We have had a lot of turnover in our neighborhood through the years, so I'm pretty sure everything fell by the wayside. Big waste of money in our situation.

[Carole clausen]

Support your neighbor AED program, the life you save may be your own

[justjim]

In the Village of LaBelle North they have been used several times. A great asset to any Village. You won’t get a 100% response for donations (about 70-75% is average but everybody is helped whether they donate to the cause or not.

[davem4616]

The AED Coordinators (i.e. the captains) started receiving statistics on the number of 911 calls made that involved a cardiac arrest about six months ago.

The numbers are very low....like in the area of a half dozen a month across the entire Villages (isn't that great!!!). The numbers aren't overwhelming. In fact in many of the months the 911 call doesn't involve always end up transporting anyone to the hospital
...isn't that great !!!

Some people question why bother to help support an AED Group....well minutes count when you stop breathing....AED responders usually arrive on site 3 to 4 minutes before the EMTs do and begin applying CPR and the AED unit....that greatly reduces the potential of severe damage to the brain.

We've had our AED units up for almost 2 years...they only time they come out of the boxes is when we run a drill and monthly when the batteries are checked.

It's an expense I'm okay paying and not having to use....just like auto insurance or homeowners insurance

[davem4616]

Originally Posted by Red Rose

AEDS are only as good as the response time of a "captain". There are usually more than 1 in a neighborhood, I'd course. There is an AED in our neighborhood, but since those people who organized and collected the money for it have moved away several years ago, who knows who is in charge or if there are any volunteer "captains" around anymore or if the defibrillator is attached to that house anymore. We have had a lot of turnover in our neighborhood through the years, so I'm pretty sure everything fell by the wayside. Big waste of money in our situation.

Sounds like this may be an opportunity for you to step up and get involved...

call Bob Sjogren at Public Safety (352.674.2934) he'll be able to tell you if you have an active coordinator for the group you belong to, if there are any people trained in CPR and how you can get trained in CPR

the life you save may be your own, your spouses, or even folks visiting you....

[JC and John]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

I would think they are under lock and key to make sure only trained people can have access to them. They do get some amount of training in when and how to use them in the case of an emergency.

Yes, and each trained volunteer has a key to the box. We have 5 boxes in our area of Sanibel. My husband is a volunteer. Every other Monday he gets a test alert from Sumter Co emergency to ensure the system is operational etc.

[Blueblaze]

Originally Posted by juneroses

The 7-18-21 article in The Daily Sun stated that the cardiac save rate in The Villages is 40% compared to 10% nationally.

So four times better than the national number, instead of just 1.5, like I remembered. Thanks for the correction. Too bad living here isn't improving my memory!

[Velvet]

Never had a heart attack or a stroke but I feel quite comforted that there is an AED available near me. Like insurance I hope never to need it, but glad to have it just in case. In our village we paid $50 each home, some time ago. Only once. The volunteers who can use it won’t take any payment.