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AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED)
In the time it takes you to read this page, sudden cardiac arrest will have claimed another victim. In the past year, 240,000 Americans died of sudden cardiac arrest: almost one every two minutes. A quarter of these deaths could have been prevented if an automated external defibrillator (AED) had been available for immediate use at the time of the emergency.
Ordinary people can be lifesavers, thanks to AEDs and training from your American Red Cross. AED's are easy-to use, portable devices. By delivering a lifesaving electric shock to the heart, an AED can restore a heart's normal rhythm. Immediate use of an AED, in conjunction with CPR, could save up to 50,000 lives a year.
AEDS are now available in a wide range of settings, including airplanes, office buildings, industrial plants, casinos, golf courses, ski resorts, cruise ships and health clubs. They are proven to be safe, reliable and effective in preventing unnecessary death from sudden cardiac arrest. Studies have clearly demonstrated that survival rates are high when defibrillation treatment is administered with the first few minutes following sudden cardiac arrest.
Designed especially for business and industry, the American Red Cross offers courses that train the lay rescuer in the workplace. Courses combine CPR and first aid training with instruction in automated external defibrillation, the two skills needed to save the life of a sudden cardiac arrest victim. We invite you to learn more about this exciting technology and training that could save the life of someone you work with -perhaps even your own life.
Contact: Matt Brown - Manager, Corporate Health & Safety at 217-787-7602 ext. 239 or mbrown@il-redcross.org
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