NAPLES, FL--Surviving a cardiac crisis is all about timing. How quickly someone can administer care using an automated external defibrillator (AED) is critical. For people who have a cardiac event, Collier County Emergency Medical Services has recently upgraded its AED program to an automated system that will ultimately help get AEDs to victims faster.
Specifically to respond to cardiac arrests, Collier County EMS participates in the AED Link program that enables 911 dispatchers to rapidly connect AEDs, its users and victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
In the past, 911 dispatchers had to go through a database to identify the closest registered AED. The new system works within the existing national agency registry, but is now automated, which saves critical time when a cardiac event occurs.
"This system (went) into effect July 1, and we are the first ones in the state of Florida to have this software," said Collier County EMS Training Captain and AED Coordinator Noemi Fraguela, an emergency medical technician paramedic who has been instrumental in getting the program up and running.
"A lot of little details go into a 911 call behind the scenes. And now, when someone calls in a cardiac emergency, a code is generated into this system which works in the background and automatically detects the closest AED — first at 600 feet, then at 1,200 feet."
Studies show a person can walk at a normal pace for 1,200 feet within three minutes. Responders affiliated with an AED closest to the victim will receive alerts by SMS text and/or phone calls requesting them to bring their AED to help save that person's life.
"911 dispatchers are very well trained to understand and ask questions — is the person breathing, are they responsive and there is a constant flow of information," Fraguela said. "Seven hundred sites in Collier have AEDs."
While a Collier County ordinance requires AED owners to register their AED, there is no requirement to become an AED program first responder. AED owners who don't want to be responders can still use the county's AED registration page to maintain CPR/AED certification information. Being a registered AED first responder is voluntary, but medical professionals such as Fraguela and area doctors said it is one of the most important tools the community has in reducing fatalities from cardiac arrest.
"That distance between a possible cardiac patient and an AED is critical and, often, a registered AED is closer than an ambulance or hospital," Fraguela said.
North Naples and Golden Gate Fire Departments Fire District physician Dr. Paul J. Hobaica said early defibrillation is always best for survival.
"This is predominantly because if you can restart the heart and blood flow in a patient whose heart has stopped with the least delay possible, then the chance of survival is increased greatly," he said. "The rule of thumb is that for every minute of delay in cardiac arrest, the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent — so in essence, someone in cardiac arrest for 10 minutes without defibrillation or restoration of cardiac function has no chance of survival."
Most of the Collier County sheriff deputies also have AEDs in the trunks of their vehicles. Hobaica can recall occasions when a life was saved in Collier County because a deputy arrived first and was able to deploy a defibrillator.
Why is it so important to register your AED? For starters, the machines need to be maintained, and many owners don't remember to keep track of battery life or electrode expirations. Registering an AED facilitates alerts about battery and electrode expiration and is compliant with AED notification and registration laws.
"People who register their AED can receive notification 60 days out before they expire — not doing this can render an AED useless," Fraguela said. "That has already happened in the county, where people who have an AED and have a cardiac event need someone to come administer it even though they have one in their house."
Some companies that sell AEDs charge for this service, but Collier County EMS provides it free to registered users. Further, AEDs may be subject to recall, and Fraguela is on the AED recall notice. She can contact registered AED owners who have a product affiliated with a recall.
People also can register when their AED is available — such as Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. or Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m.
For more information on registering your AED, click to the Collier County EMS page on the county website at www.CollierGov.net and select the Emergency Medical Services department page.