"Buying an AED is more than placing an order on the internet."

Creating and Maintaining a

Public Access Defibrillation Program

Our FREE 6 step video series will show you how.

(Video Transcript Below)

For the Site Assessment, you want to determine how many AEDs are recommended and/or needed and where you should place them. When looking at your location and planning your AED needs, you want to go back and think about why we have an AED in the first place. We have the AED available to help us if somebody is in Sudden Cardiac Arrest. 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest can happen at any time, anywhere, it may not even happen in your building. It may happen outside in the parking lot or on the road, but if your location has a clear sign that says that you have an AED, they’re going to come running into your building and grab your AED and use it. You want it to be available when the event occurs.

Taking that into consideration, if you have multiple floors, if you have wings or corridors, we recommend using a 2-minute turnaround time. If you think about the fact that every minute counts, if every minute means a 10% less likelihood [of survival], you will use a 2-minute turnaround time. Can I get to the AED and back to the victim in that two minutes?

That’s a good, standard rule of thumb, but you will also want to take into consideration any physical barriers. We’ve worked with some locations where there are gated areas or security clearances needed. You need to take that into consideration. There are services provided where you can have professionals come out to your location and make that assessment, then provide you with a formal report of how many [AEDs] and where they should be placed.

You want to make sure that you’re not locking it [AED] up. If it’s under your desk, or in your desk drawer, or locked up in your office, that’s not appropriate and it’s not serving its role.  The essence of it is for public access, so it needs to be made available for the public. Your employees and you are considered part of that public.

Most of the cabinetry options available are inexpensive and they include an alarm and a strobe. I don't think I've ever heard of someone stealing an AED, in my many years in the business. But the cabinets do have an alarm, so if somebody goes to get the AED, when they open the door the alarm goes off. That’s wonderful because then that alerts everybody that there is an emergency situation occurring. The cabinetry comes in all different shapes, sizes, and finishes. If you have the funds available and want to match your décor you could. Most likely you’re going to get the standard wall cabinet with the strobe and alarm. There are outdoor options available as well.

You want to have proper signage. Signage is part of the requirement for Public Access Defibrillation. Where will those signs go? You want to look at that when doing your site assessment. We mentioned the sign on the front door, but you actually want the sign on every door into your building. Then that sign is going to say “this building is equipped with an AED and this is where it’s located.” Once you enter the building, if I look up, I should be able to lead myself to the AED by the signage. 

In an emergency situation when you’re panic-stricken, you’re not going to remember where it is, even if you knew where it was. You need those visual cues to get you there.

The signs come in all different shapes and sizes and colors. They don’t have to be obtrusive. I notice them all the time.  I notice AEDs and I notice signs because that’s my business. Most people don’t notice them until they need them. Then, when they need them they are looking for them and that works out really wonderfully.

So that's Site Assessment: AED Placement, the first step in the Cardiac Life Public Access Defibrillation 6-Step Process.