No not the new pink Wiggle, but rather CPRfriendly.org’s founder Ian Hutchinson supplying Yellow Wiggle, Emma, with their very own touring defibrillator.

AED = Life savers in a box

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) can happen to any of us at any time. Young, old, fit or unhealthy, the SCA does not discriminate and it does not come with any advance warning.

Survival rates vary between countries. In Australia and many other countries, the survival rate is very low at only 9%. In cities such as SCA world record holder Seattle, USA, survival rates are as high as 62%.

The difference comes down to two main areas: 1. training and 2. equipment. In Seattle they follow an emergency SCA plan that is based on the importance of high rates of CPR (training) and access to and using of a defibrillator (equipment).

What is an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

We’ve all seen the ‘old school’ defibrillators in movies and medical TV dramas. The doctor places pads on the patient’s chest and delivers an electric shock that restarts the heart. It looks dramatic, scary and complicated to use.

In reality we can’t deny that being in this situation can be very stressful. But the good news is that today’s defibrillators or AEDs as they are also called are very easy to use. Once you open the case and press the on button, voice commands tell you exactly what to do.

An Automated External Defibrillator or AED is a portable life saving device. In fact, it’s the only thing that can restart a heart. These days they are designed to be used by people with no medical training and it has been made as idiot proof as possible. That said it is a good idea to have a little training with the equipment so that if you ever are in an emergency situation you have the confidence to act fast – as every minute counts.

Speed is crucial. Once the heart stops, the brain is starved of oxygen and can only survive for 3-4 minutes without irreversible damage.

According to statistics, use of an AED within the first few minutes can increase the rates of survival to 74% and even as high as 95%. Without a defibrillator the chances of survival on CPR alone are reduced to only 9% (with the average ambulance arrival time being around 10 minutes).

The defibrillator is a crucial component of the emergency code: DRSABCD. (To remember this think of Doctors ABCD)

D – Identify any danger further so as to protect yourself

R – Check patients responsiveness through talking and touching

S – Send for help by ringing 000

A - Check that the patent’s airway is not blocked

B – Check for normal breathing

C - Commence CPR 30 compressions to 2 breaths

D – Get a defibrillator and turn it on

Transparent DRS ABCD (with grey line).png

Buying a defibrillator for your community or business will save lives.

Defibrillators are not expensive. Although they all work on the same principle of delivering an electric shock to restart the heart, they can vary in price. The model and features you choose will depend upon your requirements and your budget with most costing between $1,800 - $2,500. In Australia they are GST free and tax deductible.

Varying features include battery life, length of warranty, whether the prompts come in the form of voice or if a live LED video is included.

Some models include a paediatric function (ideal for kindy’s, schools or community use). Some models provide free training and feedback so that you and the people around you will know exactly how to use the equipment when the need arises.

For more information on defibrillators and how to buy one contact us.

The future in the palm of your hand

An innovative Australian company Rapid Response Revival has developed a new mobile phone size, one use AED technology called CellAED which has international CE approval and has also just recently been approved in Australia. This new ultra-mobile device could revolutionise the accessibility of defibrillators and dramatically help save more lives globally.

For more information on CellAED and how to buy one contact us.

Public access defibrillator locations

The good news is that with more and more people are realising the importance of defibrillators (AED), they are slowly becoming more publicly accessible. Coles has put them in almost all of their supermarkets and Woolworth is following suit. Defibrillators are in more fire engines and fire stations, many police stations, transport hubs, gyms, schools, pharmacies and shopping centres.

So why not make it a habit of looking for AED’s wherever you go or check out where they are in your local area. Maybe even download AED locator apps such as ‘AED PulsePoint’ or ‘Good Sam’ and stay up to date with where they are in your neighbourhood.

How to get your own defibrillator

You can’t put a price on saving someone’s life and bear in mind that a SCA can happen to any of us at any time. Therefore buying a defibrillator, or knowing where the closet one is at all times and learning how to use it is something that none of us can afford to ignore.