The Mason's initiative is an outgrowth of the American Heart Association's Operation Heartbeat, a campaign to increase public awareness and support for strengthening the chain of survival. Every year, cardiac arrest strikes more than 250,000 people in the U.S. and kills about 95 percent of them. The American Heart Association estimates that as many as 50,000 additional lives could be saved every year if more cardiac arrest victims had faster access to defibrillation. For each minute that passes without treatment, the survival rate drops by about 10 percent. After 10 minutes without treatment, the chance of surviving cardiac arrest is remote.
Early defibrillation is a critical link in the chain of survival, and often the hardest to achieve.
Having an AED readily available makes it more likely that defibrillation can be administered sooner, which increases a cardiac arrest victim's chance of full recovery. Through Operation Heartbeat, the American Heart Association will identify key sites for placement of AEDs, including schools, public buildings and police cars and other emergency vehicles. The AEDs will be purchased with funds raised by local Masonic lodges. The Masons will also provide training and public awareness of the use of the devices through the American Heart Association. Inc. All rights reserved.