Putnam County
Special Programs
PAD Program
Starting soon Putnam County residents will have a better chance of surviving a cardiac arrest because of newly installed automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The AEDs are part of the Putnam County new public access defibrillation program which will train volunteers to recognize a cardiac emergency and use the device to shock the heart into a regular rhythm. “We want to be sure we can effectively respond to any medical emergency that happens,” says Steven J Odenweller, Coordinator of Putnam County Office of Public Safety.
Every year almost 250,000 people suffer cardiac arrest and only about 5 percent of them survive. Cardiac arrest is a condition in which abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias cause the heart’s electrical impulses to suddenly become chaotic. When this happens, the heart stops abruptly, and the victim collapses and quickly loses consciousness. Death usually follows unless a normal heart rhythm is restored within a few minutes. Defibrillation, which means delivering an electric shock to the heart, is the only known treatment to restore the normal rhythm. For every minute defibrillation is delayed, the victim’s chances of survival go down 7-10 percent.
According to Odenweller concern about being able to ensure quick defibrillation caused them to set up a defibrillation program with AEDs. “We have a large coverage area that is sometimes difficult for the EMS system to reach quickly, so we worked with the American Heart Association to set up our program,” said Odenweller.
AEDs now on the market are safe and easy to use, making it possible for non-medical personnel to be trained to provide rapid defibrillation. More and more companies are taking this step since legislation providing limited liability for non-medical AED users was passed in the state recently. The American Heart Association recommends that any facility in which large groups of people congregate consider establishing a defibrillation program. This is especially true in high-security companies, high-rise buildings, gated communities, sprawling manufacturing plants and remote sites. It is estimated that establishing these defibrillation programs could help save as many as 50,000 lives per year.
If you have questions about the program log on to:
The American Heart Association
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