AED Program Information

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) can strike anyone - even seemingly healthy young people. When it strikes there are less than ten minutes to save the victim's life, and even less time to prevent irreparable brain and organ damage.

Since the attack itself is often the victim's only symptom, rapid medical attention is the key to survival. Statistics show that every minute that passes once SCA occurs reduces the chance of recovery by 10%. In the Kansas City area, as reported by the Mid America Regional Council in 2005, the average response time of emergency responders is 8-9 minutes. You do the math!

New 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines suggest that the survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest averages 6.4% or less in the United States and Canada.

The only effective treatment for SCA is prompt external defibrillation. When defibrillation takes place within the first two minutes, the survival rate of victims approaches 90%. The American Heart Association estimates that 100,000 lives could be saved every year with prompt defibrillation.

In many cases, having an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) close at hand is the answer.

Organized community lay rescuer CPR and AED programs have reported survival to hospital discharge for victims with witnessed SCA reporting as high as 49 - 74%.

Public access refers to accessibility for trained users to use AEDs in public places. Public access does not mean that any member of the public witnessing a sudden cardiac arrest should be able to use the device. AEDs are to be used only by individuals with the proper training and certification in accordance with state and local laws.

New 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines recommend AED programs in public locations where there is a relatively high likelihood of witnessed cardiac arrest (e.g. airports, casinos, sports facilities). Kansas City First Aid also recommends the placement of AED's in the home where more than 80% of cardiac arrests occur, and any other facility located more than 3 minutes away from medical response. The American Heart Association recommends a drop-to-shock of no more than 3 minutes.

If you are considering the purchase of an AED, here are the Common elements of successful community lay rescuer AED programs as reported by the American Heart Association in their NEW 2005 Guidelines:

  • A planned and practiced response, typically requiring oversight by a healthcare provider. A prescription is required for the purchase of all AED's with the exception of the Philips HeartStart OnSite Defibrillator. 
  • Training and equipping of rescuers in CPR and use of the AED. AED and CPR certification is required to us any AED. 
  • A link with the local EMS system. Notification of AED placement, and training is required for all AED's. 
  • A program of device maintenance and ongoing quality improvement. Program Management is recommended for all AED's to ensure AED readiness. 
  • AED Program Implementation Guide
  • AED Program Implementation Checklist

The use of Emergency Oxygen should be considered as a companion to the use of an AED. The American Heart Association states, ”During cardiopulmonary emergencies use supplemental oxygen as soon as it is available … Short-term therapy with 100% oxygen is beneficial and not toxic.” Click here to visit our Emergency Oxygen webpage.

The FDA is the federal regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that medical devices like AEDs are safe and effective. Click here for consumer information about AED's on the FDA website. To achieve this goal, the FDA imposes device labeling requirements on AED manufacturers. Labels must describe the indications and conditions for AED use. Currently, AEDs are viewed by the FDA as restricted, prescription devices. This means AED labeling must indicate that the device may only be used under certain conditions: the user must be trained and under the supervision of a physician. In addition, AEDs must come with directions so they can be used safely in the manner intended, that is, to resuscitate victims of sudden cardiac arrest. All AEDs sold in the marketplace today are evaluated and cleared by the FDA, with the exception of the Philips HeartStart OnSite Home Defibrillator, which does not require a prescription for purchase.

OSHA has developed information concerning the use of AED's in the workplace. Click here to download an OSHA AED brochure.

For more information on AED's in general, please contact us via email or by calling 913-980-5245.

The American Heart Association has developed site assessment criteria to determine if, how many, and where AED's should be placed. A FREE AED SITE ASSESSMENT is available. Click here to contact us to schedule an appointment.

Kansas City First Aid is an Authorized Dealer of Philips, and Welch Allyn, and Medtronic. The Welch Allyn logo is a registered trademark of Welch Allyn. The Philips logo is a registered trademark of Philips. The Medtronic logo is a registered trademark of Medtronic.

Headquartered in Shawnee, Kansas, Kansas City First Aid specializes in teaching First Aid, AED, and CPR classes in public and private onsite locations throughout the Kansas City, and surrounding areas.

Click here for a list of our "public" training locations. 

Click here for our current "public" calendar for CPR classes and First Aid training.

Classes for individual healthcare providers, childcare provides, and lay rescuers are offered regularly at one of our local locations. Visit our Class Schedule web page for scheduled public course information, and online registration.

Here are the course descriptions for our CPR Classes and First Aid Training

All of the courses are available, and can be scheduled privately, upon request, for your group. If you would like information on group training at your workplace, please visit our Onsite Training Webpage or contact our office at 913-980-5245.