And yet, three in five Americans lack the confidence to use one. Studies show the public is vastly more confident responding to a natural disaster, fire or choking victim than they are using a life-saving device to prevent one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.3
According to the National EMS Information System, it takes an average of 6 minutes (urban/suburban) and 13 minutes (rural areas) for first responders to arrive.4 But every minute delayed in treating an SCA victim decreases survival by 10%.5
That’s why Parent Heart Watch advocates for having AEDs in everywhere where youth congregate. AEDs are a critical step in the Cardiac Chain of Survival, which is based on the premise that the first person on the scene of a cardiac arrest is in the best position to save a life IF the rescuer is prepared to take action. That’s why simply distributing AEDs is not enough there must be a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan in place to use one.
The most important aspect of public access defibrillation programs is that AEDs are accessible—not locked away—and that the facility or field alert its users where it is and how to access it in a cardiac emergency.
