Defibrillators: Do you know what you are looking for?

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If you are about to purchase a defibrillator or an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for your school or workplace, here are 12 simple questions to research or ask before you buy:

  1.  Has this AED been clinically tested?
  2. Does the AED deliver a shock which is aligned to accepted protocols based on the students or staff in my school or workplace (i.e. age, weight, underlying medical issues, etc.)? Accepted protocols will include information as supplied by organisations such as the Resuscitation Council UK.
  3. How often will I need to replace the battery?
  4. Are there stocks of batteries in this country and how long will it take for a replacement to arrive once I have ordered them?
  5. What is the cost of the batteries?
  6. How often will I need to replace the defibrillation pads?
  7. Are there stocks of defibrillation pads in this country and how long will it take for replacements to arrive once I have ordered them?
  8. What is the cost of the defibrillation pads?
  9. How long will the above parts be supported for?
  10. How long is the warranty?
  11. Who will set-up, commission and test the AED prior to being put into service?
  12. Does the AED need servicing, if so, how often and at what cost?

Studies have shown that a large number of AED’s are not in a usable condition at any given time.  This is often due to batteries and pads being out of date/unusable.

An AED that seems like a bargain may turn out to be an expensive item if you need to replace parts on a regular basis; worse still, it may cost a life if you are waiting for batteries or pads.

Please don’t hesitate to comment or contact me if you need any further advice.