Research has demonstrated that proper and immediate use of a defibrillator can greatly increase the chances of survival. The American Heart Association estimates that 250 more lives per day could be saved if defibrillators were more widely available to first responders. We hope that we will never need to use them, but just in case, we want our employees and their families to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing help is available. A defibrillator is a device that delivers an electric shock to the heart, allowing a normal heart beat to resume.
Defibrillation is the only proven therapy to restore a normal heartbeat after cardiac arrest.
The inaccessibility of defibrillators makes it difficult to save a person during the critical two to three minutes after cardiac arrest, and unfortunately, the average response time for defibrillator-equipped and trained emergency medical personnel is more than 10 minutes in many cities. Survivalink Corporation's FirstSave AED is a device that is capable of identifying life-threatening heart rhythms that can be converted by electric shocks. To ensure proper usage, the AED has visual and audible prompts that guide the user through the rescue process. Once the lid is opened, the FirstSave AED automatically analyzes the heart rhythm and, if a shockable rhythm is identified, automatically charges to deliver a shock with the push of only one button. Training is already underway to prepare employees to use the equipment in the event of an emergency.