Sudden cardiac arrest accounts for at least 250,000 deaths each year in the United States, which is more than all

forms of cancer combined. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs on average at about 60 years of age, but anyone over age

45 is at risk. Cardiovascular disease is the number one leading cause of death for age 65 and older.

 Defibrillation is most effective when used as soon after an arrest as possible. The chance of success decreases by

almost 10% for every minute of delay. The American Heart Assn. Suggests a 3 to 5 minute response time.

 If nothing is done for a cardiac arrest victim, he or she is going to stay dead! Defibrillation applied shortly after

collapse gives the victim the best chance of survival. This must be done in the time period before the ambulance

arrives. One of the problems is that the national EMS response time average is 8 to 12 minutes.

 The first person on the scene of a cardiac arrest is in the best position of saving a life IF the rescuer is equipped with

an AED. You have more control over whether a person lives or dies than the paramedic or EMT who is summoned,

the emergency room physician, or the cardiologist – all because of the speed with which an AED shock can be

administered.

 Sixth graders figured out how to use an AED given no instruction and a few minutes to experiment. Their use is that

intuitive. However, during a cardiac arrest is no time to begin experimenting with the life saving device.

 AEDs will not allow a shock to be administered unless the person is really in cardiac arrest. You cannot shock a

person who doesn’t need to be shocked making AEDs the next thing to foolproof.

 Three airports around Chicago installed AEDs in their terminals several years ago. The New England Journal of

Medicine recently reported that the AEDs were used on 18 cardiac arrest victims in a two-year period. Eleven

(61%) of the 18 victims survived. It is even more interesting that six of the eleven saves were accomplished by

people who had no training or experience with AEDs (three of the rescuers were physicians, but they had never used

an AED before).

 It’s estimated that about 95% of Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims die before reaching the hospital. That means that

currently the survival rate is only approximately 5%.

 Brain damage can start to occur 4 to 6 minutes after the heart stops pumping blood. Death may be prevented if the

cardiac arrest victim receives immediate CPR and defibrillation within the first few minutes after collapse.

 For the past 20 years, CPR has been the treatment of choice for cardiac arrest. Oxygen is provided to a person and

chest compressions pump blood around their body. CPR buys time until more effective treatments can be

administered. Using an AED increases the victim’s survival rate substantially over CPR alone.



 Ultimate Protection Group offers training from a staff with over 37 years of firsthand emergency medical response

and firefighting experience, and over 27 years of teaching experience in the areas of CPR, AED, First Aid and

Blood Borne Pathogens. We can also provide you with the lifesaving Automated External Defibrillator.