The first responders in Kronenwetter will soon be carrying defibrillators.

The compact devices make saving lives simple.

The machine is able to monitor the patient and determine if the person needs a shock to get their heartbeat back to normal.

The life-saving devices are so simple that you may soon see more of them in public places like libraries and schools.

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History of Defibrillation

• 1956 - First published reports of external defibrillation.
  
• 1962 - Controversy over benefits of DC vs. AC defibrillation.
  
• 1964 - Development of synchronizing defibrillation to EKG cycle.
  
• 1970 - Importance of early defibrillation first published.
  
• 1972 - Defibrillators using solid state technology developed.
  
• 1986 - Firefighters with basic training begin using AED's.

CPR vs. AED

• At present, for each 100 patients that arrive in the ER in cardiac arrest and have been treated with CPR alone: 95 die, 2-3 survive a few days, and 1-2 have a chance of full recovery.

• CPR works well on patients who have a primary breathing problem.

• CPR alone doesn't work well on victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

• For each minute elapsed after collapse, there is a 10 percent decrease in the chance of successful defibrillation.

• Many 911 EMS systems can't get to the victim in less than 10 minutes.

• Early defibrillation is the key to saving a cardiac arrest victim.

• Early defibrillation can lead to total recovery and a normal life.

• After 10 minutes have passed - it's too late.

• In the US, approximately 350,000 people die each year from heart disease - many of these people collapse unexpectedly.

• Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) - collapsing unexpectedly - can happen from an electrical current in the heart "going haywire."

• Many times, these victims are not having a heart attack.

• These victims need a lifesaving pulse of electricity called "defibrillation" to restart their heart - and can go on normally.

• AED's cannot save all victims of SCA, but when an AED is successful, the result can be dramatic return to a normal life.

  Source: www.defib.org contributed to this report