Contact: Chris Hansen, Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

(941) 335-1604

AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS WILL SAVE LIVES

FORT MYERS, Fla. (February 8, 2000) – Lee County is putting in place a system to track and ensure training on Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) – easy-to-use devices that can save thousands of lives each year.

The Board of Lee County Commissioners has passed an ordinance that requires people and organizations that have AEDs to receive proper training and notify Lee County’s Public Safety Division of their location. That way, when dispatching cardiac arrest calls, Lee County’s Emergency Dispatch Center also can notify nearby AED operators of the emergency and notify first responders (fire and EMS) that an AED already is in use.

“The quicker the victim gets help – whether it’s emergency responders or a trained lay person – the better the chances for survival,” says Chris Hansen, Lee County’s EMS program manager. “We want to make sure we know where these AEDs are located and who can operate them so we can quickly dispatch help.”

Automated External Defibrillators are becoming more and more common throughout the country. AEDs now on the market are safe and easy to use, making it possible for non-medical personnel to be trained to provide rapid defibrillation. During cardiac arrest, for every minute defibrillation is delayed, the victim’s chances of survival go down 7-10 percent.

“The new devices are easy to use and only deliver an electric shock to the heart if one is needed,” says Hansen. “AEDs use computerized assessment of heart rhythms, which virtually eliminates operator error.”

The American Heart Association recommends that any facility in which large groups of people congregate consider establishing a defibrillation program. This is especially true in high-security companies, high-rise buildings, gated communities, sprawling manufacturing plants and remote sites. It is estimated that establishing these defibrillation programs could help save as many as 50,000 lives each year.

Lee County’s Community AED Ordinance and Program requires three main things:

§ People and organizations with AEDs must notify Lee County Public Safety of their location and contact number for use by 9-1-1 and the Emergency Dispatch Center.

§ AED operators must receive training, utilizing approved national standard curriculum.

§ AEDs purchased/used in Lee County must meet or exceed FDA requirements.

If you want information about establishing a public access defibrillator program, call Lee County Public Safety at 335-1600.