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AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS
Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) came into use in the late 1980s. The device delivers an electric shock to the heart during a cardiac arrest emergency (to stop the abnormal heart rhythm and allow a normal rhythm to resume) and is simpler to use than the defibrillators found in hospitals and advanced life support ambulances. The simplicity and lower cost of the AED made it possible to place the units in public places where minimally trained personnel could use them on an unconscious patient prior to arrival of emergency medical services. A fibrillating heart requires CPR and an electrical shock in less than 5 minutes for the best chance at patient survival.
The Eagle County Ambulance District was one of the first agencies in Colorado to begin a community AED program by placing the devices on fire trucks. Later, the program expanded to other public venues such as the Ford Amphitheater, the Vilar Center and various public safety vehicles. The District presently has numerous AEDs placed in eastern Eagle County.
The Health Service District has an AED wall-mounted near the entrance to its classrooms in Edwards and Avon. We are happy to demonstrate the device to you as it provides an example of the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program being nationally promoted by the American Heart Association. Someday you may find an AED publicly accessible in every building.
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