Friday, November 02, 2012

Ex-external defibrillator

Is this a trend?  I noticed this excised AED in a building at MIT.  My colleague there suggested that this and others had been removed because of the difficulty in ensuring that they would be properly maintained.

Have others seen this in other buildings where they work or places they frequent?  I wonder if these kind of devices will end up like those home exercise machines, abandoned after a short time.

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3 comments:

  1. Paul LevyNovember 03, 2012 8:55 AM

    From Facebook:

    Vicky Lindo Kemish: The one at the UU Fellowship that I belong to started beeping on a night that I was sleeping there (part of a homeless outreach program that I'm involved in), we managed to dismantle it and take out the dead batteries. While doing I so, I was wondering to myself; "Does anyone know how to work this thing? How many people know how to work this thing? Could we cause injury trying to use it on someone without knowing what we're doing?"
    I guess that pretty much fits in with the picture above.

    Equbal Kalani: Those are pretty smart machines and could save lives with minimal training. They guide you by voice prompts right out of the box. Great In places like airports, gyms etc. I remember few years ago at a local sports tournament one of the participants had cardiac arrest and there were nurses and doctors around but no defib. By the time the EMS could locate the person out of so many buildings, it was too late. He was resuscitated but was brain dead. Just like fire extinguishers, they need periodic maintenance as well.

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  2. PJ GeraghtyNovember 03, 2012 9:48 AM

    Companies that sell these will sell a maintenance package along with it. It's a shame to see that MIT isn't maintaining this important program.

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  3. paul martinNovember 17, 2012 2:14 AM

    I do not see such defibs here in the UK as I am sure few people know that they can be self service. I tried hard to get our public company to install such especially following a colleague's near death was avoided by the nurse being at the right site at the right time. Despite a good general care for staff record no luck. I guess cost/benefit/ignorance played a part.

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