What is the best place for an AED?
It's essential to deploy an AED as quickly as possible to increase the likelihood of survival for a person suffering from cardiac arrest. As a result, it's crucial to position the AED in a location that is easy to access. This blog post will provide information on the best placement for an AED to increase the chances of saving a life.
The Best Place for an AED Outdoors
When placing an AED outdoors, it is essential to choose a location that is safe, visible and easily accessible. The placement should not require emergency workers to cross a busy street to reach the AED. Avoid direct sunlight and hang the AED in the shade or under a shelter. An outdoor AED cabinet with thermostatically controlled heating and ventilation is ideal with an electricity connection.
The Best Place for an AED Indoors
When placing an AED indoors, such as in a company or gym, it is advisable to store or hang it in a central and well-visited location. For example, the entrance or canteen could be a good place. The AED must be visible and hung with a sign with the AED pictogram. Store the AED in a bag, wall holder, cabinet, or close to other first aid items.
An AED in an unlocked cabinet
It is common practice to store an AED in an outdoor cabinet with a lock or PIN code. However, it is not advisable to do so, as time is crucial in resuscitation scenarios. Every second is critical during resuscitation, so it is best to place the AED in a wall cabinet that is easily accessible without a lock. This way, no time is wasted in retrieving the AED. Some maintenance plans include free theft insurance to ease concerns about choosing an unlocked cabinet. It is worth noting that theft of an AED is rare.
An AED within 6 Minutes
It is essential to use an AED within 6 minutes in case of cardiac arrest. Starting CPR within 6 minutes and defibrillating with an AED if there is a shockable cardiac arrhythmia can increase the victim's chance of survival by 50-70%. In the case of large buildings, store the AED in a central location within the 6-minute zone. If necessary, placing multiple AEDs can be a solution.