Churches and Public Defibrillators (AEDs)

Many churches and places of worship are investing in AEDs or Automated External Defibrillators along with CPR to help protect the lives of their congregation, staff and visitors.  Is your church prepared for an emergency event such as sudden cardiac arrest?  This deadly killer takes a staggering 1,000 lives per day on average in the U.S. alone.  Workplaces, communities and public settings should be proactive and churches should certainly do the same by getting equipped with life-protecting AEDs.  These easy-to-use devices are designed to be used by the lay-rescuer and their voice and visual prompts guide the rescuer through the process of saving a life.  It is important to note that these FDA-approved devices are safe in that they simply can’t deliver a shock to a patient not in need of the therapy, this fact usually comforts those who are just learning about AEDs for the first time.  Whether a church is small in size of membership or considered medium or large in this category it is critical the church leadership become knowledgeable about these public defibrillators and the CPR training and certification that should accompany them.

Many churches are active far beyond their weekend services with activities occurring on most every day of the week.  Some places of worship have a school or academy associated with them or adjoining their facilities, this certainly increases the importance of becoming equipped so the young lives at the school can be protected too.  In order to assess how many AEDs to purchase the church should be aiming for a drop to shock timeframe of 3 minutes or less.  This means that if an individual were to drop at any place on the premises the rescuer should ideally be able to get from the victim to the AED and back within 180 seconds walking briskly.  For a small church one AED may be sufficient while other large church campuses might need 5 or more to adequately protect lives.

Once church leadership has decided that they indeed want to buy AEDs they often struggle with the decision as to which one is best for their needs.  AED One-Stop Shop utilizes a consultative approach to assess specific needs and expertly recommend one of the 20 or so models they provide.  All AEDs are certainly not alike, they range in price, warranties, cost of maintenance and most importantly the features which can play a huge role in whether a friend to the church is revived or not.  AED One-Stop Shop is proud to have assisted many churches with this selection process.  Beyond the purchase itself we can also help with CPR training and certification for the internal response team, AED accessories like cabinets and signage, and services that bring the church into compliance with the State AED and Good Samaritan Laws.  Do contact us at 855-OSS-AEDS for help whether you’re protecting lives for the first time or wish to improve your emergency preparedness.