If you're considering installation of a defibrillator, check with your local EMS or county health and safety office. Most have a public safety coordinator who keeps track of businesses that have defibrillators and will help you to keep the machine tested, stocked with supplies, and updated when new programming when appropriate. The pads that come with defibrillators do have expiration dates, and a couple of years ago the FDA required that all machines be updated with new programming, which the manufacturers provided at no charge.
You should also, as Dale said, have enough staff members trained in CPR plus AED that you have a trained person available at all times. In a municipal setting, you will probably need to show that they have taken the AHA HeartSaver AED course within the past two years. This is a recommendation based on the fact that CPR done inappropriately (for example, on a living person) can cause serious injury, and AEDs used incorrectly can injure bystanders. I'm a member of the Georgetown Medical Assist Team, and we offer CPR classes at cost (which includes the AHA textbook, certification card, and basic supplies); we generally teach one a month on a Saturday. Williamson County EMS also offers CPR classes, usually to businesses/groups on weekdays. Other EMS and Fire departments may also offer classes. I'll never forget that after we taught a CPR class at Round Rock Public Library a few years ago, one of the staff members correctly realized that a patron who was in the bathroom was having a heart attack and called EMS. He didn't need to use the defibrillator, but he might have saved the man's life by making the right call, since the patron was in denial (which is a classic sign of a heart attack, BTW). It's a good thing to be trained! If you have questions about CPR classes, please let me know! Danielle Cunniff Plumer, Coordinator Texas Heritage Digitization Initiative Texas State Library and Archives Commission 512.463.5852 (phone) / 512.936.2306 (fax) [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of James Karney Sent: Wed 12/3/2008 8:50 AM To: Laurie Mahaffey; Jan Steele; [email protected] Subject: Re: [ctls-l] defibrillators We have them in each of our libraries and they are all mounted on a wall by the circulation desk; multiple staff are trained in CPR and AED use. If you are concerned about someone messing with the AED, the cases that our equipment is stored in has the option of having the door be alarmed so that a buzzer will sound if opened. FYI, the Waco Convention Center also has AEDs and staff responded to a man suffering a heart attack this past on Monday. James James A. Karney, Director Waco-McLennan County Library 1717 Austin Ave. ~ Waco, Texas 76701 254-750-5946 ~ Fax 254-750-5940 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: Judy Duer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:10 AM To: Laurie Mahaffey Subject: RE: [ctls-l] FW: defibrillators We have ours by the circ desk. It is visible to all but I think it's like fire extinguishers, it becomes invisible after a while. I've never worried about it being stolen and so far it hasn't been a problem. Judy Duer Temple Public Library Director ________________________________ From: Laurie Mahaffey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:01 AM To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: [ctls-l] FW: defibrillators Does your library have an AED? This issue has been a recent concern in the Austin area; a high school football player's life was saved because his team had an AED with their equipment. Many places that didn't have these before are now getting them. From what I understand, anyone can use an AED to save a life. Thanks. Laurie The Lago Vista Police Department gave an Automated External Defibrillator to the library. I think that they got the defibrillators through a grant, but I'm not sure. I don't remember seeing any of them in the libraries I have visited. I am curious as to where other libraries mount their AEDs. Do they have them in a highly visible public area? Because we have such a small facility with little wall space, I was thinking of mounting ours in the small coffee/storage room. Our staff and volunteers would know that it is there, but patrons or visitors to the library would not. I am concerned that someone might try to steal it if it is on public display. Any thoughts on the subject? Jan Steele Librarian/Director Lago Vista Community Library 5803 Thunderbird, Suite 40 Lago Vista, TX 78645 (512) 267-3868 [EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
