If You’re Called on to Use a Defibrillator

These life-saving devices are found throughout the community

In Case of An Emergency

Just open the door, take out the defibrillator and follow the simple directions.

There’s a powerful tool out there for saving lives—the automatic external defibrillator, or AED. You’ve probably seen the AED sign in airports, shopping malls, schools, nursing homes and other community settings. Would you know how to use one?

“AEDs are simple enough for anyone to use,” says paramedic Joel Calarco of the Emergency Medicine Institute at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. These computerized devices analyze the victim’s heart rhythm and jolt the heart back to normal in case of cardiac arrest. Here’s what to remember in an emergency:

Act fast. The longer you wait, the poorer the victim’s odds (survival chances decrease 10 percent every minute). Don’t be afraid to step in. The Good Samaritan Law protects rescuers from being sued.

Call 9-1-1. Whether it’s you or another person on the scene, make sure the call goes out immediately.

Use the AED. It’s best if the AED user also knows CPR, Calarco says. But if that’s not possible, don’t hesitate. You simply open the device, turn it on, apply the pads to the victim’s chest and follow the prompts.

If the victim is a child, look for special pediatric pads. “If the AED isn’t equipped with these,” Calarco says, “adult-size pads are fine as long as the pads don’t touch each other while the machine is on.”

Want to Know More about where AEDs are located? Click here for locations.

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