AEDs Save Lives

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

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Defibrillators, more commonly referred to as AEDs, provide a necessary resource to people, families, organizations and communities.

While the average response time for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the United States is about eight to 10 minutes, AEDs are a crucial health resource that can help save lives in the immediate aftermath of a medical emergency.

An AED is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It's a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart's rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.

CarePoint Resources LLC offers CPR and first-aid certification training to the community.

According to the American Heart Associ- ation, an average of over 350,000 Americans per year suffer cardiac arrest

See AEDS, page A3