Essay by: ISP066
It was late in the afternoon when the frightening incident happened. Casually talking a walk at the park with my family, an elderly woman suddenly fell to the ground right before us. She was having a heart attack. Her daughter who was with her when she fell, panicked and screamed for help. Everyone rushed over to see what just occurred. Fortunately, the park had an automated external defibrillator, so one of the other adults who have been trained to operate an AED could use it on her. It saved the elderly woman’s life. Had the park not have installed the AED, the elderly woman would not have made it.
There are many other instances of when similar situations like this have happened. If all the public places had AEDs installed, many lives could be saved. People would not waste precious time waiting until the paramedics came. Instead of panicking and just standing there worrying, they are able to take action immediately and give the victim a better chance of survival.
This lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart, is able to stop the irregular rhythm and allow the normal rhythm to resume in a heart during a sudden cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrests quickly lead to death if not treated within minutes. A victim’s chance of survival drops by 7 to 10 percent for every minute a normal heartbeat is not restored. AEDs make it possible for more people to respond to medical emergencies like the one shown above. Even non-medical people who have been properly trained to use them can use AEDs.
Cardiac arrests can happen anytime and anywhere. Thus, the installation of AEDs in public places is a good precaution to take. The shock provided by the AED gives the heart a chance to beat effectively. Instructions are included to guide the user through the entire process. It is safe and will only deliver the shock if it is needed. A built-in computer first analyzes the victim’s heart rhythm through the adhesive electrodes before a shock is delivered, making sure that the victim actually needs the shock.
Therefore, these advantages of having an AED installed in a public place prove that it is a worthy investment to make. Many lives will be saved, and the victims of heart attacks and their families and friends will be forever grateful for this device that saved their loved one’s life.
