Each year, we needlessly lose 7,000 young persons to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). However, most schools cannot afford to have an MD or EMT on school grounds during school hours and after-school activities, but they can afford to have easy-to-use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) with voice prompts to walk users through the simple steps necessary in life-saving defibrillation and CPR. Every school should have an AED, especially a school or college with athletic programs. Schools that have needed a portable AED now say they can’t imagine being without it. That’s why so many have carried out fundraising and sponsorship campaigns to keep their children, staff, and visitors heart safe.
The Life-Saving Importance of AEDs
Here are some of the reasons why more and more schools and athletic programs are investing in AEDs and making early defibrillation a part of their emergency response plans:
Defibrillation within three minutes of sudden cardiac arrest increases the chances of survival to 70 percent. Shock within one minute of collapse raises the survival rate to 90 percent.
Calling 911 is necessary but the wait for first responders may take too long. The average call-to-shock time in a typical community is nine minutes.
Recent legislation throughout the country may require your school district or university to provide them.
Universities such as Notre Dame, Utah State, and others have successfully implemented AED programs and saved lives.