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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: August 17, 2010 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT• Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) Program Guidelines <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />#1: Inventory of Current Placements and <br />Recommended Placement Sites <br />#2 Program Guidelines <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Frank Montes de Oca, 919-245 -6100 <br />Pam Jones, 919-245-2650 <br />PURPOSE: To provide a programmatic guideline for the Board's consideration regarding the <br />specification, purchase, placement/installation, use, monitoring and maintenance of Automatic <br />External Defibrillators (AED) in County-owned and/or operated facilities. <br />BACKGROUND: AEDs are self-contained cardiac monitor/defibrillators initially intended for <br />use by the public to shock the heart back into rhythm in the event of cardiac arrest or fibrillation. <br />When a heart fibrillates an inadequate volume of oxygenated blood is circulated throughout the <br />body. According to the American Heart Association, a human brain starved of oxygen can <br />experience irreversible damage within 4-6 minutes. The goal is to have effective cardio- <br />pulmonary resuscitation and converted arrhythmia within this timeframe to give the victim a <br />chance for survival with hopes for a full recovery. AEDs are common additions to public <br />buildings throughout the US, and due to their popularity, the cost per unit has fallen sharply over <br />the past decade. <br />The Board of Commissioners directed the Departments of Emergency Services and Asset <br />Management and Purchasing Services to take inventory of the current "fleet" of AEDs installed <br />in County facilities, determine their status and develop recommendations for guidelines outlining <br />consistent specifications, purchasing, installation and maintenance in order to bring consistency <br />to the program. Generally, the AEDs will be placed on each floor of aCounty-owned/operated <br />facility with the goal of access to an AED within 4-6 minutes. The attached guidelines establish <br />standards for specifying, purchasing, placement installation, use and maintenance of the <br />County's fleet of AEDs. <br />