An AED in a school, college, or athletic department can save a life because cardiac arrest (unlike a heart attack) strikes people of all ages. A tight budget shouldn't stand in the way of acquiring an AED: Every school should have an AED defibrillator, especially a school or college with athletic programs.

Cardiac Science AEDs for Schools and Colleges; AEDs for Athletes

Say "sudden cardiac arrest" and most people think "adults." Not true. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can strike adults and children of any fitness level. Each year we lose approximately 365,000 people – 7,000 of them are young. Commotio cordis is the second leading cause of sudden cardiac death in school athletes.

Commotio cordis typically involves young, male athletes when a sudden, blunt, non-penetrating trauma to the anterior chest results in immediate cardiac arrest and sudden death. In cases of sudden cardiac arrest, resuscitation without immediate shock from an AED is exceptionally rare.

The Cost of Safety

Most schools can't afford to have an MD or EMT on campus during school hours and after-school activities — but they can afford to have easy-to-use AED machines with voice prompts to walk teachers and staff through the simple steps necessary for live-saving defibrillation and CPR. Schools that have had occasion to use a portable AED machine now say they can't imagine being without them. That's why so many have carried out fundraising and sponsorship campaigns to keep their children, staff, and visitors "heart safe."

Learn about school AED funding with a tight budget.

Why Cardiac Science Powerheart AEDs

Cardiac Science is one of the world's best-known makers of AED machines. Our best-selling model for schools is the Powerheart AED G3 Plus.

Schools are one of Cardiac Science's primary focuses. We are committed to making school AED programs successful and we've assisted with AED implementations in schools. Here are just of few of the reasons why schools choose to partner with us:

Powerheart AEDs are dependable, easy-to-use defibrillators.
RescueReady technology self-tests all main components (battery, hardware, software, and pads) daily to ensure anytime functionality.
Rescue Coach voice prompts and CPR metronome guide you through a very stressful rescue situation.
The AED device knows when to (and when not to) deliver the shock.
The text screen lends extra help in noisy and chaotic environments.
The AED unit has a 7-year warranty and a 4-year full operational battery replacement guarantee.

Whether you are an elementary school, high school, college or university, a Cardiac Science defibrillation program is your best way to protect the many lives at your facility. A Cardiac Science Powerheart AED program gives a school's trained responders the ability to save a life without having to wait for emergency medical responders to arrive. To maximize the chances of SCA survival, Powerheart AED machines should be readily available throughout a school's campus, near classrooms, gymnasium, cafeteria, office, parking lot, and athletic fields.

Advocating for and Funding AEDs in Schools and Organizations

AEDs are life-saving — but only when AED technology is in place. There is a growing movement to make portable AEDs readily accessible throughout communities, including schools and athletic venues:

Many states including New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania are now mandating the placement of AEDs throughout their schools. AED legislation is pending in many other states.
Sudden cardiac arrest strikes approximately 7,000 children in the US every year; often these children fall victim to SCA while at schools or on a playing field. School-age athletes are particularly vulnerable.

Strong Advocacy

Some of the most effective and informed advocates for funding AEDs in schools are athletic coaches and trainers. As sports professionals, you know that sudden cardiac arrest can strike children of any fitness level and that the only effective treatment for ventricular fibrillation is a shock from a defibrillator. The coach or an informed parent is the first one to bring a portable defibrillator to athletic practices and events.

If a student, staff member, or school visitor experiences a cardiac emergency, schools and athletic programs need to be equipped to respond – and respond fast – because unless defibrillation is administered within minutes, the majority of SCA victims will not survive. If defibrillation is administered within one minute of collapse, the survival rate for SCA goes up 90 percent.

For more information on how Cardiac Science can help you develop a successful AED program, please contact us.

Resource Links

	Our products An overview of our entire AED product line
	Customer references Our Powerheart customer reference list
	Powerheart brochure A downloadable PDF about our products and services
	Saving Emiliano Meet a six-year-old saved at school with a defibrillator

	Spec sheet A downloadable PDF of our most popular products for the office
	Online AED demo A How-to-Use video demonstration of the Powerheart G3 Plus
	Corporate brochure Discover Cardiac Science: Who We Are and What We Do
	Our video library Meet a 16-year-old saved on the baseball field

Defibrillators in Schools (PDF, 134KB)

Meet Kaitlin Forbes

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Click through to meet Kaitlin Forbes. Rhinebeck High School saved her life because they brought a Cardiac Science defibrillator suitable for layperson use. Makes you realize if sudden cardiac arrest can happen to her, it can happen to anyone. Are you prepared?
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