Volunteers Using Public AED Save Florida Man’s Life

Using the community’s Public Access Automated External Defibrillator (AED), a community partnership, and a 911 connection to a national registry, some Goodland (FL) residents saved the life of one of their own.

In late 2014, Collier County EMS staff and members of the Goodland Civic Association worked together to implement the Public Access AED Program for Goodland. In early 2015 Collier County EMS taught a CPR information class to more than 40 residents and 28 of them signed up to be AED responders through the National AED Registry.

The National AED Registry (www.nationalaedregistry.com) allows for members of the public to register their AEDs as well as participate as voluntary AED responders in case of a cardiac emergency in the area. The county’s 911 system uses a software program called AED Link, which automatically notifies registered responders during a cardiac arrest call.

On January 24, a resident called 911 for a cardiac arrest emergency. The 28 AED responders were notified by AED Link. Seven arrived with the AED, provided CPR and administered a life saving shock to the victim. EMS arrived within five minutes of the AED placement and the victim was already breathing and talking. He is currently home recovering.

Goodland resident Greg Bello, who administered the shock said, “If we (Collier County) didn’t have this system (AED Link) our neighbor would probably have died.” This is the first life saved in the County using AED Link and public AED responders in the National AED Registry. The Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium 2009 study on the survival after application of AEDs before EMS arrival indicates that survival to discharge is 38 percent with an AED shock before EMS arrival versus 7 percent overall and only 9 percent with CPR and no AED.

Commissioner Donna Fiala, who began the campaign more than two years ago to have AEDs installed in Goodland said, “The safety of our residents is paramount and by working together, one of Goodland’s residents is alive today because of that collaboration.”

“It is widely known that the faster you get an AED to a cardiac arrest victim, the better are the chances of survival. We are proud to partner with Collier County to provide this service and celebrate the victim’s survival. We certainly encourage more who have their AEDs registered to consider becoming volunteers,” added Elliot Fisch, co-founder and president of Atrus, Inc., the Delray Beach (FL) company that created both AED Link and the National AED Registry.

For more information, call EMS Chief Walter Kopka at (239) 252-3757 or Atrus CEO, Elliot Fisch at (561) 239-3487.