AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. SAC stands for Special Appeal Campaign which is designed to make AED a very familiar acronym. It should be a children acronym, a youth acronym and an adult acronym.

The acronym AED should be the most common and most understood of all. This little unit shown in the policemen’s hands could save 70 to 80% of the 335,000 Americans who die each year from cardiac arrest. Our policemen in Baldwin County describe our particular situation: “Roughly 169 people in Baldwin County will experience sudden cardiac arrest this year, with about 9 survivors (approximately 5%).

Studies have shown that survival rates can be as high as 70 to 80% for sudden cardiac arrest victims who received defibrillation within three minutes of onset. Traditionally, the ability to defibrillate was solely in the hands of EMS personnel. Today, a new generation of defibrillator, AEDs, makes it possible for trained rescuers to deliver defibrillation.” What is defibrillation? Defibrillation is a jump-start for a heart that has suddenly stopped beating, but it must be administered within three  to seven minutes.

For each minute that passes between onset and defibrillation, a patient’s chance of survival decreases 10%. If defibrillation can be performed within the first one to three minutes, there is an 80% chance of survival. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs most often in the home, followed by public locations, such as schools, work sites, streets and highways, airports, churches, and even event centers—law enforcement personnel often are in the vicinity of these locations. Science and technology have made these little portable miracles available to officers and laypersons.

Our police officers mentioned above tell us that “The State of Alabama is at the top of the list for cardiovascular deaths and cardiovascular disease is the Number One killer of all men and women today. Our next door State of Florida has been working on this campaign for a number of years and is even a part of their 911 system. Recently, Pensacola raised almost $170,000 for this campaign!

Baldwin & Mobile counties will be the first ones in Alabama to have this exciting and lifesaving program in place.”What’s not to like about this little box that laypersons can operate? It’s sad to think that a funeral costs more. The American Heart Society is pushing for the greatest victory in Alabama on June 9. What an opportunity!