If someone in or near your work area appears to be experiencing a cardiac emergency, get the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from the first floor of your building as quickly as possible. An AED combined with CPR and activating emergency medical services offer the best chance of survival in the event of a cardiac arrest.
Where is the AED located?
AED's have been placed near the Commissionaire work station on the first floor of each building in the PAB complex - Shaw Building North, Shaw Building South, Jones Building, and Sullivan Building. The operator’s guide for the AED has been placed inside the AED device cabinet.
Who should respond to a medical emergency?
The Heart and Stroke Foundation advises that AED's are most effectively used by trained individuals, and the employer recommends that employees certified in First Aid/CPR respond to cardiac emergencies.
Anyone can, at their discretion, volunteer to assist a victim in a medical emergency. The level of assistance should be appropriate to the their level of training. Individuals are encouraged to contribute to an emergency response only to the extent they are comfortable. CPR and first-aid training is provided to employees who volunteer to receive it. In addition, the internal information system has online training resources and other information for operating the ZOLL AED Plus. (http://iis.peigov/dept/aed.html)
What should I do in an emergency?
In the event of a cardiac emergency, someone must quickly retrieve the AED from the main entrance lobby of their building and bring it back to the site of the emergency. If you encounter a cardiac emergency:
- Check patient for responsiveness and check scene for danger.
- Call out/seek help from a second (2nd) person to assist.
- One person should stay with the patient; the other should call 9-911 and get the AED from the 1st floor.
- A list of employees certified in First Aid/CPR is posted on bulletin boards on each floor of each building.
- Following an emergency requiring the use of an AED, please promptly notify your Occupational Health and Safety representative to complete a post-incident report according to procedure.
What is an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a small, portable, and easy-to-use device that assesses the heart of a person in cardiac arrest for a shockable rhythm. As a result of the sophisticated electronics in an AED, the operator will only be advised to deliver a shock if the heart is in a rhythm which can be corrected by defibrillation. If a shockable rhythm is not detected, no shock should be given and provider will be instructed to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until Emergency Services arrive.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure to restore blood flow to someone suffering cardiac arrest, keeping the victim alive until advanced medical care arrives.