Virginia Tech Rescue Squad expands public access AED system, encourages departments to invest in AEDs

Abstract

The American Heart Association estimates that 446,000 people in the United States fall victim to sudden cardiac arrest annually. With each passing minute, chances of surviving decrease exponentially. Recognition of cardiac arrest, early activation of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and early defibrillation by an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) increases a person's chance of survival by as much as 90 percent.