5 Ways to Care for Your AED

After all, here at Cardio Partners, we can’t imagine anything worse than needing an AED only to discover that it isn’t rescue ready!

According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of the hospital each year. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) — which is a leading cause of death among Americans — occurs when an electrical malfunction in the heart disrupts the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and other vital organs. 

Sadly, 95% of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before they reach the hospital. Together, we can turn these stats around. Cardiac arrest victims who received a shock from a well-maintained and rescue-ready AED have more than double the odds of survival to hospital discharge (EHS Today). 

However, if your AED isn’t rescue-ready because it’s poorly maintained, inaccessible, or out-of-compliance, it’s simply not going to get the job done. 

Here are 5 easy ways to keep your AED in good working order.

Make Sure Your AED is Visible and Easy to Access

This isn’t strictly maintenance-related, but you’ll want to make sure that everyone knows where your AED is located. You’ll earn bonus points for offering first aid and CPR training — every two years, at minimum. 

Check out this article to learn more about finding the best location for your AED.

Create a Maintenance Schedule

Refer to your AED Owner’s Manual for more information about maintenance schedules. Each manufacturer has slightly different guidelines. Then, designate someone within your organization to check on your AED several times each year.

Verify Battery Life and Installation

Make sure your AED batteries are within their recommended life span, are properly charged, and that they’re installed correctly. In the event your AED is needed, no one is going to want to stop performing CPR and reinstall an incorrectly installed battery!

Inspect the Exterior of Your AED

AEDs are durable but even the toughest AEDs can show signs of wear and tear. We covered this in detail in our post, Which AED is Right for You and What an IP Rating Tell You About Your AED, but you’ll want to give your AED a once-over a couple of times throughout the year to make sure that there are no cracks and that your AED pads are sealed and have not expired.

Invest in AED Compliance Management and Preventative Maintenance Programs

Take the worry out of AED compliance and maintenance by investing in an AED compliance management program and an AED preventative maintenance program. If you do this, your AED should be pretty much worry-free and maintenance-free!

At Cardio Partners, we care about making your workplace and your community safe. For more information about caring for your AED, contact Cardio Partners at 800-544-0004 or email us at customerservice@cardiopartners.com

DISCLAIMER: Information and resources found on the cardiopartners.com and aed.com websites/blogs is intended to educate, inform, and motivate readers to make their health and wellness decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The authors are not healthcare providers. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.