Why do we need AEDs in camps or at schools?

June 2010

What is the scoop on AEDs and Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

We are talking about the nation’s leading killer; killing more people than strokes, AIDS and breast cancer in the US annually.  Each year, between 300,000 and 400,000 Americans experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) outside of a hospital.

About 10,000 to 20,000 are children!  SCA affects people of all ages!

On average in the U.S., just 6.4% of SCA victims survive. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED) take chances of survival to over 65%. In fact, early defibrillation (within 2-4 minutes ideally) with CPR is the only way to restore the SCA victim’s heart rhythm to normal. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, the chances of survival decrease by around 10%. However, there are not enough AEDs to provide this life-saving treatment, resulting in lost opportunities to save more lives. Tragically, per a NIH study in 2007, 64% of Americans have never even seen an AED. AED PROGRAMS CAN AND DO IMPROVE SURVIVAL RATES. Communities with comprehensive AED programs that include training of anticipated rescuers in both CPR and AED use have achieved survival rates of 65 percent or higher.

How does this affect camps?  [American Camping Association**]

Illinois in 2009 passed an AED law for “recreational areas” that includes sports fields or recreational areas, affecting schools and camps.  Also, organizations that are involved in camping – such as the YMCAs, Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts have been placing AEDs in an increasing number of facilities and camps. This is setting an expectation to provide care amongst the population and camp attendees.  With AEDs becoming more readily available, the potential exists for increased litigation from not having an AED on premises if there is a SCA event at the camp facilities. With AED prices dropping, more products to choose from, and the possible consequences of living in our litigious society, the time for a camp to purchase an AED is now. This is especially true of those camps in remote areas where medical response is delayed.

Why should I be a champion for AEDs?   Can’t we just call 911?

The national average for EMS response in the US is 8-10 minutes.  It is recommended (for best chances of survival) AEDs be used early on and ideally within 2-4 minutes.  There is a very good chance emergency medical services (EMS) cannot respond fast enough to save someone in cardiac arrest, particularly in congested urban areas, high-rise buildings, in remote rural areas, or large facilities.

What constitutes gross negligence isn’t spelled out in the law. Per product liability attorneys specializing in AED case law, organizations that have heavy traffic are more at risk if they fail to comply with “standards to provide care” and don’t have an AED at all.  Any manager or camp director at any large or high traffic facility should consider ramifications of not having at least one on premises in the event of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  It is most likely their own job they are putting on the line and they should argue hard for them.  As a value-add for those directors whom can’t get top down management on board and funding is an obstacle; they should get hard copy evidence on file from their management if they can not get approval for purchase.  The old “CYA” policy!

** [Special note:  in January 2010 American Camping Association put the following revised accreditation standard into place for all camps except non-medical religious camps (camps where participants by religion do not allow modern medical intervention or treatment such as the Christian Science Church). Standard HW-17 now states: Does the camp have access to an AED (automated external defibrillator) available to the majority

Think Safe Camp Responder Bag (FV845) with Rugged AED

of the camp population, within the timeframe recommended by authoritative sources, and managed by trained personnel? The AED may be located on the camp property or available through another provider. ]

Think Safe can help your organization with AED funding and placement assistance:  AED grants.  Contact our AED GRANT DEPARMENT at grants@think-safe.com for more information and best pricing or match funding for your AED purchase needs.

Contact our industry experts at 888-473-1777 for our special CAMP AED PACKAGE or funding/grant assistance!

Customer LifeSaving Event Post-Event Review

HeartSine ECG (click on this link and link on next page to see an actual scanned ECG record of a lifesaving event) One of our customers recently used their HeartSine samaritan HS01 AED to save the life of a fitness club member!

What does all of the attached ECG picture and lines mean?

It took about 1 second to put on the AED pads after turning on the device.  It took the HeartSine about 8 seconds to analyze and recommend shock.  It took 5 seconds for the employees to stand clear and press the shock button.  Shock 1 was administered about 16 seconds into the rescue/response.

CPR then commenced.  You can see the effectiveness of the CPR and then the patient’s heartbeat restored.  At just past 2 minutes from initial use of the AED, EMS arrived and removed the AED pads, placing on their own pads.

The EMS confirmed that the AED being used so quickly was part of the reason the patient survived. The in-house response time was just under 2-3 minutes from time of collapse to time AED arrived on scene to use. WITH EVERY MINUTE THAT ELAPSES, CHANCES OF SURVIVAL DECREASE BY 10%!

This AED was used in a fitness club, in a metro area, response time for EMS was just under 6 minutes from time of 9-1-1 initial call.

This data was pulled from the AED using event review software that is included FREE with the equipment sold by Think Safe.  A medical director for the fitness club was sent the information for their interpretation and for use by the patient’s medical doctors.

Truly, AEDs are powerful lifesaving devices! The only way to reduce the 300,000 plus death toll on Sudden Cardiac Arrest (the nation’s largest killer) is to increase public knowledge on AEDs and improve AED placements for quick and effective defibrillation response for victims of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  With average national EMS response times being 8-10 minutes, workplaces and places of high risk for SCA need to purchase AEDs in order to protect their employees or members.

To find out more about how your organization can easily install and implement an AED or AED program; please call us at 888-473-1777.  Our company can arrange for someone to visit you or your facility or we can speak with you over the phone.  All of our AED packages come with the following at no extra charge:  Prescription (Rx), AED Administrator Toolkit (inspection tags, checklists, drills, placement surveys and install direction, AED acquirer compliance checklists to state laws, post-event review technical assistance and more….

Contact one of our AED experts at:  888-473-1777 or info@firstvoice.us for more information and help.

20 Year Reunion with 1st person saved by AED in Wisconsin!

Has it been that long?…..

[AEDs have been on the market about 20 years! Their prices have gone from $5,000 to $1,200-$1,500.  Their weight and size has been cut in half at least.  Yet, there is one commonality - they are still lifesaving equipment!]

Twenty years ago Wednesday, Waukesha Wisconsin firefighters Todd Laurent and Jeff Schulz saved Chuck Krebs’ life, using what was a brand new defibrillator at the time.  Chuck and his wife Jackie spent Wednesday evening thanking the men who saved him.

Chuck is the first person in Wisconsin saved by a defibrillator!  He had a heart attack and collapsed while at work inside his garage in Waukesha.  He was pronounced dead, but the firefighters arrived promptly and used the defibrillator to bring Chuck back to life.  Chuck returned to a normal life thanks to his heroes.  To read more:   

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/89081037.html

AED Site Risk Assessment: Part2

AED Site Risk Assessment

Many times we get asked at Think Safe the question, “How much risk do I have for someone  having a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) here?”

In the previous blog post we spoke about determining the level of risk at your facility and if your facility was at higher risk for having a SCA (Sudden Cardiac Arrest) event. We also provided a list of higher risk facilities.

If you want to now move on to assessment tools, here are some questions to answer:

1) Is it unlikely that the existing EMS system would be able to reliably achieve a “call- to-shock” interval of five minutes or less at this site?

2) Has an SCA incident occurred at this site in the past five years and have the demographics of the population served by this site remained relatively constant?

3) Do 10,000 or more persons regularly gather at this location?

4) Does this site have a large concentration of persons over 50 years old?

5) Is there a high probability of SCA at this site based upon this formula:

A. Take the number of individuals at your location and multiply this number by the % of people age 50 or over.
B. Multiply this number by the average number of hours spent at the location each day.
C. Multiply this number by 350 if the location is residential or 250 if the location is non-residential.
D. If your answer is 600,000 or higher, your location has a high probability of SCA.

If you answered YES to any of the above questions you are at higher risk of having an SCA event and you need to talk to our technical experts or a local rep by contacting 888-473-1777 or info@think-safe.com.

Think Safe can provide a full AED Site Assessment Survey for your use and one of our local representatives would be happy to perform on onsite AED placement assessment.  Think Safe’s First Voice product line includes a full line of AEDs and AED accessories.  From low cost and rugged solutions our product catalog has what you need to put in place an effective and protective AED program.

Think Safe, Inc. * 1105 Hawkeye Drive * Hiawatha, IA  52233 * 888-473-1777 * www.firstvoice.us

Automated External Defibrillator Programs

AED Site Risk Assessment

Many times we get asked at Think Safe the question, “How much risk do I have for someone  having a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) here?”

Due to the number of deaths every year and SCA events that occur, we like it when people appear to be educated that it is only a matter of time – at some point we are all likely to experience or witness a SCA event.  Again, we are talking about the nation’s biggest killer; affecting over 300,000 people in the US annually and killing more people than all forms of cancer combined!

The following information might provide you some helpful insight to determining your levels of risk.  What are the most likely places to have SCA events occur? Some studies have shown a higher incidence in certain locations, listed below.

· Airports
· Community/senior citizen centers
· Dialysis centers
· Ferries/train terminals
· Golf courses
· Health centers/gyms
· Cardiology, internal and family medicine practices, and urgent care centers
· Jails
· Large industrial sites
· Large shopping malls
· Nursing homes
· Private businesses
· Sports/events complexes

Watch for our next blog post on AED Site Risk Assessment for key questions to ask.

Automated External Defibrillator Programs

To see more information about how to assess your risk, contact us at 888-473-1777 or info@think-safe.com.  We can provide you a complimentary (NO CHARGE) AED site risk assessment survey.  If you would like, we can send a local rep to your facility for a NO CHARGE placement assessment as well.

The Think Safe First Voice product line includes a comprehensive AED package that protects our distributors and customers and includes:  AED Administrator Toolkit, AED inspection tag, AED Inspection Checklist, AED Acquirer State Civil Liability Immunity Laws Compliance Checklist, and more….  www.firstvoice.us

New Emergency Instruction Device (EID) launches in Europe

Think Safe is proud to write about our 2010 European EID that is now available in Dutch and European English.  For Please see:  http://bit.ly/RescueMate for full details.

European EID - RescueMate

This EID has everything you need and is European & ECC compliant:
- first aid, AED and CPR training and emergency use
- fire training
- evacuation training
- communication training

A full occupational health tool for any workplace or organization!

For more details on how to distribute this product please email us at info@think-safe.com or info@aedsolutions.eu

COMING SOON!  German and French languages

AEDs: Use by Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Healthcare Providers

Just what is the standard or duty to provide care of healthcare, long-term care or elderly care providers for Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)?

From my consistent research and study of the AED industry, the standard appears to be that many nursing homes, elderly housing complexes or assisted living facilities still do not have an AED policy or program.   In 2007 a summary study within the industry showed:

http://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610%2807%2900207-1/abstract

Contrarily, here is an Ohio-based midwest article on AEDs & some facilities who have decided to implement AED programs:  http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/358076/many_nursing_homes_lack_device_to_restart_heart_portable_defibrillators/

Now, not taken into consideration is the question regarding “duty to provide care” – and what is really the up-to-date 2010 standard to provide care as it relates to AEDs or CPR in these facilities?

*  Are there any industry mandates taking place? What is the healthcare industry doing about AEDs?

*  What are the trends for DNR orders or Attempted CPR- are the number of DNR orders going up or down as a % of population being admitted to healthcare facilities?  Should nursing homes or long-term care facilities have solid AED programs in place due to a decreasing % of DNR orders and more patient preferences to attempt CPR?

In January 2010 there was a great article I read that showed how UCLA is implementing AED programs across their system, due to the improvement in SCA survival they offer. UCLA Article

Nursing Studies Show AEDs improve SCA response times (this is an additional Nurse.com article on SCA & AEDs in the industry)

I have also read many articles/studies in recent years on in-hospital SCA survival versus out-of-hospital survival and perhaps UCLA is trying to improve SCA survival and change the statistics, which show IN-HOSPITAL survival is lower than OUT-OF-HOSPITAL per many studies.  The above link shows the obstacles facing nurses and staff and why AEDs may be a welcome addition to healthcare facilities.

Regarding long-term and elderly facility industry practices such as DNR advanced directives

Paula Wickham, AED Industry Expert

are followed.  But, methods for identifying CPR status need improvement to enable accurate identification and prompt resuscitation of residents who want CPR:

http://www.gnjournal.com/article/S0197-4572%2898%2990117-3/abstract

It is known that ACPR is infrequently performed in long-term care setting and is rarely successful (successful being defined as admission to the hospital alive).  Survival (defined as discharge from the hospital) is also rare but survival does occur though. All nursing homes are not required to offer ACPR and many nursing homes in the United States, as well as in other parts of the world, do not offer ACPR.

In my assessment from my research, agencies such as the American Bar Association’s Commission on Law & Aging show that about two-thirds (2/3) of the adult population does not have an advanced directive or DNR.  I could not find any recent studies to answer my DNR questions on DNR preferences.

Recent mandates or pending mandates and “encouraged use” Bills have passed in recent years in the following states that are for assisted living facilities or long-term and medical facilities:  Texas, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Florida and others.

Perhaps it will some day become an expectation for all long-term facilities to have an AED and perform CPR but for now, it appears that each facility has to make their own decision but for sure they should consider their state’s legislation or pending legislation as it affects licensing for their facility.

One exerpt of a study states, “Surveys have shown that many elderly in different parts of the world want to be resuscitated, but may lack knowledge about the specifics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Data from countries other than the US is limited, but differences in physician and patient opinions by nationality regarding CPR do exist.”  In the essence of observing the opinions of those elderly that do want to be resuscitated – perhaps there will be some marketing advantage to employ by organizations that implement AED programs.

This article was written by Paula Wickham, President of Think Safe and AED industry expert.  Think Safe has an entire staff of technical experts for AED bills, laws and mandates.  If you would like more information on AED mandates or pending mandates for your long-term or elderly care facility, you may reach us at 888-473-1777 or by emailing info@think-safe.com and requesting a copy or link to your state’s requirements.

Why do we need AEDs at work or in public areas?

Why are AEDs being mandated and required or “expected” as a standard of care in many places?

We are talking about the nation’s leading killer; killing more people than strokes, AIDS and breast cancer in the US annually.  Each year, more than 300,000 Americans experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) outside of a hospital. SCA affects people of all ages and with many types of heart problems, but occurs most commonly in adults with coronary artery disease, and so it will only become more common as America ages.

On average in the U.S., just 6.4% of SCA victims survive. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED) take chances of survival to over 65%. In fact, early defibrillation (within 2-4 minutes ideally) with CPR is the only way to restore the SCA victim’s heart rhythm to normal. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, the chances of survival decrease by around 10%. However, there are not enough AEDs and persons trained in using AEDs and performing CPR to provide this life-saving treatment, resulting in lost opportunities to save more lives. Tragically, 64% of Americans have never even seen an AED. AED PROGRAMS CAN AND DO IMPROVE SURVIVAL RATES.   Communities with comprehensive AED programs that include training of anticipated rescuers in both CPR and AED use have achieved survival rates of 65 percent or higher. Making AEDs more available to lay responders trained in their use saves lives; remember that these are proven to be easy to use and fail-proof FDA approved public use devices.

Why should I be a champion for AEDs?   Can’t we just call 911?
The national average for EMS response in the US is 8-10 minutes.  It is recommended (for best chances of survival) AEDs be used early on and ideally within 2-4 minutes.  There is a very good chance emergency medical services (EMS) cannot respond fast enough to save someone in cardiac arrest, particularly in congested urban areas, high-rise buildings, in remote rural areas, or large facilities. Besides traffic, consider the time needed to make it through building security or in a crowded shopping mall with multiple escalators and all the way to a victim, for example.

“What constitutes gross negligence isn’t spelled out in the law. Per product liability attorneys specializing in AED case law, organizations that have heavy traffic are more at risk if they fail to comply with “standards to provide care” and don’t have an AED at all.  Any facility manager, HR manager or a safety, EHS director at any large or high traffic facility should consider ramifications of not having at least one on premises in the event of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  It is most likely their own job they are putting on the line and they should argue hard for them.  As a value-add for those directors whom can’t get top down management on board and funding is an obstacle, they should get hard copy evidence on file from their management if they can not get approval for purchase.  The old “CYA” policy!

If you would like to see examples of current AED case law and how settlements and lawsuits have fallen, please contact our AED LAW experts at info@think-safe.com or 888-473-1777.

Products to consider sold by Think Safe to help your organization with AED funding and placement assistance:  AED grants or AED brands and models available.  Contact our AED GRANT DEPARMENT at grants@think-safe.com for more information and best pricing or match funding on the market for your AED funding solutions.

New OSHA (194.07) First Aid Guidelines…

How do OSHA guidelines affect work comp premiums and insurance claims?  Here is a little detail on why first aid reportables can make all the difference….

First Aid or Recordable? New OSHA guidelines…..
Some workers’ compensation injuries are of such a minor nature that the law permits the employer to treat or refer for treatment of these injuries and pay for them privately rather than through the workers’ compensation insurance carrier. These injuries are known as First Aid and are not recordable injuries per OSHA guidelines and no claims file needs to be made up for them. All other injuries are considered Medical Treatment, which are recordable for OSHA guidelines and for which claims files are made up.

Due to the benefits employers derive from classifying injuries as first aid, it is necessary to understand which injuries can be so classified and when they must be reported to the insurer and to OSHA. This list of first aid treatments if comprehensive, i.e., any treatment not included on this list is not considered first aid for OSHA record keeping purposes. OSHA considers the listed treatments to be first aid regardless of the professional qualifications of the person providing the treatment; even when a physician, nurse, or other health care professional provides these treatments, they are considered first aid for record keeping purposes.

New Rules under OSHA 194.07
Note: MT = Medical Treatment FA = First Aid - 1 does of prescription medication now MT (Old rule: 2 doses MT)
- OTC med at prescription strength now MT (Old rule any dosage FA)
- Any number of hot/cold treatments now FA – (Old rule 2 or more treatments MT)
- Drilling a nail now FA – (Old rule MT)
- Butterfly bandage/Steri-Strip now FA – (Old rule MT)

All First Voice kits and Self-contained Emergency Treatment (SET) Systems are designed with careful consideration to these types of OSHA guidelines.  Contact us for more details on how first aid programs can be made easier for EHS and Safety Supervisors, 888-473-1777.  info@firstvoice.us

What to look for when choosing a new health club

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to improve your health? Does your plan include joining a fitness club and getting some exercise?

If so, you might want to think twice about which club you join. There’s more to think about than which is closest and which costs the least.

I know from my industry expertise, if you choose a club that is not careful about safety, sanitation, and service, there can be some unpleasant and dangerous, consequences.

Security

Is your stuff safe? Locker rooms are a bad place to leave valuables. It’s just too easy for a thief to get into your locker. Don’t rely on the fitness center to safeguard your valuables.

Is the parking lot well lit? Especially for clubs that are open very early or very late. Daylight hours are shorter many months of the year and you could easily find yourself going to and from your car in the dark.

Sanitary

A good health club will have a clean locker room and restroom. If these areas look or smell bad, let that be a red flag to you.

The exercise equipment should be disinfected between users. The club should provide paper towels and disinfectant, along with posted instructions on how to sanitize the equipment after use.

Safety

Are first aid kits stocked and available at all times? Does the club have a portable defibrillator on hand? These defibrillators, commonly called AED’s (automated external defibrillator), can be the difference between life and death for someone who experiences a sudden heart attack. Over 250,000 people die of heart attacks in the U.S. each year and fitness clubs are one of the high-risk areas.

The American Heart Association urges all fitness centers, including those in schools, to have at least one AED. As of 2001, all 50 states have at least some kind of AED law, but only a few actually mandate them. For instance, Illinois requires every fitness club to have at least one AED and a trained user on the premises.

How can you be sure?

If you can’t tell, then ask! If you’re not sure about some of the above issues, be sure to ask. A quality health club will be happy to tell you where the first aid kits are, what their staff’s training is, and where they keep the defibrillator.

Consider all the factors when choosing a fitness club. If your gym does not have all of the above, you should demand it for your business you are giving them.  Stand up for your rights!