SPEAKER
Posted by Robert Homann on Jan 18, 2017
Today we heard from Tina Gerola of Superstition Fire and Medical regarding how to deal as bystanders with sudden cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same thing as a heart attack. During a heart attack, the person is usually conscious and expressing pain. It is due to problems with the heart muscle or arteries and the flow of blood around the body is diminished. Sudden cardiac arrest, on the other hand, is the loss or disruption of the electrical impulses that cause the heart to beat. The person collapses and is not aware of what is going on. Bystanders should follow these steps: 1) designate someone to call 911. You need to know the physical address where you are. 2) designate someone to get the automated external defibrillator (AED). 3) immediately begin chest compressions at the rate of 100 per minute. This is tiring work so have a team of people ready to relieve each other. Time is critical - there is a 10% loss in survival rate for every minute that goes by without compressions.
Have someone turn on the AED. It talks to you - follow the instructions. Remove clothing from the waist up so the two pads can be applied at the right spots. The AED will analyze the heart rhythm and determine if a shock is needed. If it is, clear people away from the person and apply the shock per the AED's directions. The machine will tell you whether to do a second shock or not.
An AED costs $1,500 and can be purchased through Superstition Fire and Medical. Hopefully, someone's life may be saved because of this information Tina gave us today. Thank you Tina!