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Sumner defibrillator database could save lives




Sumner County EMS Capt. Mike White demonstrates how to use an automated external defibrillator. JOSH CROSS

Sumner County EMS Capt. Mike White demonstrates how to use an automated external defibrillator. JOSH CROSS

Sumner County EMS in in the process of identifying all public automated external defibrillators (AED), which officials say could help save lives in an emergency.

The organization is asking for members of the public with an AED to complete a form that includes the medical device’s specific address and interior building location, according to Capt. Mike Smith with Sumner County EMS. That information will then be shared with emergency dispatchers, who will be able to see all nearby locations during a 911 call.

Officials have already added every AED in all the county’s public schools into the database.

“If someone calls (911), dispatchers will be able to advise that person if they have an AED nearby,” White said. “CPR is great, but that early defibrillation from the time of collapse is the life saver.”

An AED can help an individual who is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest by analyzing their heart’s rhythm and deliver an electrical shock if necessary, according to the American Red Cross. The often-fatal medical condition is among the leading causes of death in the United States with more than 350,000 people expected to suffer from cardiac arrest this year.

For each minute defibrillation is delayed, the odds of survival are reduced by approximately 10 percent. The average response time for first responders is between eight and 12 minutes.

“Getting someone on an AED as soon as possible following a collapse is always the best chance they have (for survival),” White said.

For more information about the AED database, including how to obtain a registration form to be added to the list, email White at mikewhite@sumnerems.org.

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