DENVER - According to the American Heart Association, more than 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before ever reaching a hospital. A victim's chance of survival is reduced by seven to ten percent with every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation.
If bystanders knew where automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were located it could help increase a victim's chance of survival and save lives.
Dr. Comilla Sasson is an emergency medicine physician at University of Colorado Hospital. She is spearheading a pilot program to track down and map AEDs in Denver.
"Most often people don't realize that, that thing sitting on the wall is something they can use," said Dr. Sasson.
The Denver pilot program began in November 2010 and is part of a larger U.S. Food and Drug Administration initiative to improve access to AEDs.
"What we're trying to do right now is really integrate this so that when you do call 911, a map literally will pop up on the 911 dispatcher's screen and it will say, 'oh actually, you're at 21st and Meade, you know what, there's a device on 22nd and Meade…go run and get that if you have a second person or a second pair of hands," said Dr. Sasson.
Since 2010, Dr. Sasson and her team have found and logged more than 2,000 life-saving AED devices throughout Denver. They have tracked down devices at the Denver Police Department, local golf shops and the convention center...
In Colorado, state law does not require training to use an AED. If a person uses a device and the patient dies, the state's Good Samaritan law will likely protect them from any wrongdoing.
Dr. Sasson hopes Denver 911 operators will have the AED mapping system up and running in the next two months. Once complete, Denver will be one of the first cities in the country to integrate an AED mapping system for 911 dispatchers.
By Jennifer Kovaleski
SOURCE: TheDenver Channel.com