AED or Automated External Defibrillators is a tool that can assist with heart attacks or sudden cardiac arrest. Heart Attacks and Sudden Cardiac Arrests are common life threatening emergency that can happen anytime, any place.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is different to a heart attack due to the fact that the heart suddenly stops beating altogether, whereas blood can still flow during a heart attack. Sudden Cardiac Arrest can occur after a heart attack.
AED’s can prevent death resulting from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
How does it work?
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) works by using a built-in computer that checks a victim’s heart rhythm through adhesive electrodes. The computer calculates whether defibrillation is needed.
If it is, a recorded voice prompts the rescuer to press the shock button on the AED. This shock momentarily stuns the heart and stops all activity. It gives the heart the chance to resume beating effectively. Audible prompts guide the user through the process. AEDs advise a shock only for ventricular fibrillation or another life-threatening condition called pulseless ventricular tachycardia
Where is your closest AED?
It is ideal to know where your closest AED to your worplace or site incase it is required for a medical event. Many businesses within New Zealand have AEDs available and registered for public use, you can find them by searching you location at
https://aedlocations.co.nz/ or google AED location.
When you search your address a map with the nearest AED locations shows up with information of contact details & positioning appears.
Example:
If you are on a temporary worksite it could be worth listing your nearest AED on your Emergency Response Plan and point out the location during the site induction. Every minute counts when a Heart Attack or Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs.
Important Points for AED Use
Do not wait to get the victim medical attention.
Studies have shown that if defibrillated within the first minute of collapse, the victim’s chances for survival are close to 90 percent. For every minute that defibrillationis delayed, survival decreases by 7 percent to 10 percent. If it is delayed by more than 10 minutes, the chance of survival in adults is less than 5 percent.
Because of their ease of use, anybody can use an AED.
That being said, someone with training should be the one to use the AED on a victim if present.
Documented regular inspections of AEDs are critical.
AEDs have indicator lights that either show green or red. A red light or flashing red light indicates some problem with the AED. Dead batteries are also another common problem with AEDs. Check the manufacturer’s literature as to how often the batteries need to be replaced. Batteries in AEDs commonly need to be replaced between every two and four years.
Get Familiar with AED
Most people are familiar with what an AED is and probably have them in their place of work, or seen them while in public spaces, but may not understand how they function. It is critical that everyone is at least familiar with how they work and in what situations they should be used. AEDs are often the only chance that a victim of sudden cardiac arrest will survive.
Make sure your team knows where their nearest AED is, when it may be required, and that ANYONE can use it.
They can look different, so look for the AED Location sign.
Need Assistance?
Our team are available if you require assistance with emergency response and evacuations.
Please contact us if you require any advice.