Our weekly update on news in the world of heart safety and noninvasive cardiology

EMS Chief Donna Best demonstrates CPR and use of an AED, assisted by Doug Comstock of Cardiac Science, Tuesday at Town Hall. (Photo by John Kovach)

Stratford CT now requires AEDs in all public buildings

We love to recognize communities that are leaders in making AED access a priority. This past week the city of Stratford, CT, kicked off an ambitious program to get AEDs installed in all 25 municipal buildings, plus  health clubs, hotels, restaurants, and large stores. Stratford is one of only three cities nationwide to require AEDs in all public buildings; Stratford’s AED ordinance also mandates annual inspections of AEDs by the city’s fire department. Cardiac Science is proud to be involved in the Stratford PAD program. Special thanks to our team member and Connecticut AED law expert Doug Comstock (pictured) bringing the program to life.

Minocqua WI police to carry AEDs in their cruisers

The Minocqua, Wi., police are going to be carrying AEDs in their cruisers. Officers in the Minocqua and and Woodruff police department are often the first responders to an emergency, according to Police Chief Andy Gee, and the department wants them to have with them the equipment necessary to deal with sudden cardiac arrest. Officers are also taking a CPR course that includes AED training.

Joe Clark returns to thank hero who saved his life

Click to watch the video

Joe Clark is incredibly fortunate to be alive. After suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) behind the wheel and driving through the median and two lanes of traffic, Clark crashed into cars in a northwest Charlotte DMV office.

Hero Brian Hawkins performed CPR and another DMV employee ran out with a Powerheart AED. When emergency responders arrived, Clark was still not breathing, but they were able to revive him a few minutes later before rushing him to the hospital.

“The chances of Mr. Clark being with us are really slim-to-none if he didn’t crash in this parking lot on that day,” said Eric Morrison with Medic. “This is one of the 400 places in Mecklenburg County that has one of these defibrillator devices hanging on the wall.”

Death at the airport
Bob Small’s wife of 44 years suffered a heart attack at the San Juan, Puerto Rico, airport. Small, a semi-retired emergency management official for Oak Forest, said he screamed out, “Get me an AED!” — emergency parlance for an automated external defibrillator.

No emergency medical personnel rushed to help her, no airport workers could administer CPR, and there was no San Juan airport AED that could be immediately found, Bob Small said. Twenty minutes passed before paramedics arrived, and when they did, he said, their equipment was running low on power and they could do nothing for her.

The family hasn’t decided whether to pursue legal action. “If all of this comes so we can save someone else, I think that’s fine,” Small said.

West Midlands nursing home gets free defibrillators
The West Midlands Ambulance Service provided 209 homes with the Powerheart AED, and will provide new and refresher courses and help maintain the machines.

Hudson WI sudden cardiac arrest save at work

You understand why communities like Stratford and Minocqua are so gung-ho about deploying AEDs when you read stories like this one, about workers at a plant in Hudson, WI, who used their company AED to restart the heart beat of Carey Dallman after Dallman collapsed at the lunch table, a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. Emergency Medical Services arrived within five minutes, administered a second shock, and transported the victim to the hospital. The EMS chief later told reporters that the actions of co-workers were what saved Dallman’s life.

On-the-job save

Another great on-the-job save is described in the Think Safe blog. A worker in the power line industry grabbed a power line, thinking it was disabled, and received a shock that sent his heart into ventricular fibrillation. Co-workers at the scene had an AED, and followed its prompts to shock the victim’s heart back to a normal rhythm.

AHA training center on health clubs

Code Red

Code Red, one of the six national training centers for the American Heart Association, published some tips for finding a heart-healthy gym or health club. These include making sure that the facility has an easily accessible AED, and that club staff are trained and prepared to use it in case of a cardiac emergency.

Last 5 posts

• Cardiac Science AEDs in Spain [VIDEO] - April 4th, 2011
• Cardiac Science wins first major public access defibrillation program in Europe - March 30th, 2011
• Georgia Park saves 5 lives with AEDs - March 24th, 2011
• Sad stories, avoidable deaths? - March 23rd, 2011
• Texas school's AED saves 6-year-old's life - March 22nd, 2011

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