The Monroe-Livingston Regional Program Agency supports the New York State Department of Health in the administration of the Public Access Defibrillation program.
What is public access to defibrillation?
Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) means making AEDs available in public and/or private places where large numbers of people gather or where people who are at high risk for heart attacks live. It does not mean that the AED is available 24/7 to the public.
What is an AED?
The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a computerized medical device. An AED can check a person's heart rhythm. It can recognize a rhythm that requires a shock, and it can advise the rescuer when a shock is needed. The AED uses voice prompts, lights and/or text to tell the rescuer the steps to take. AEDs are accurate and easy to use. With a few hours of training, anyone can learn to operate an AED safely. There are many different brands of AEDs, but the same basic steps apply to all of them.
Why is notifying the local EMS office important?
In NYS it is a requirement that before AEDs are put into service, that the local EMS office is notified. It's important for the local EMS system to know where AEDs are located in the community. In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest emergency, the 9-1-1 dispatcher will know if an AED is on the premises and will be able to notify the EMS system as well as the responders already on the scene.
Why must a licensed physician be involved with purchasers of AEDs?
This is a quality control mechanism. The licensed physician will ensure that all designated responders are properly trained and that the AED is properly maintained. He or she also can help establishments develop an emergency response plan for the AED program. In NYS, AEDs cannot be operated without having a medical director.
Why must the local EMS office be notified if the AED is used?
In NYS the local EMS office is required to track all uses of AEDs in the region. NYS then compiles all the information and uses it to improve the EMS system. A use is called an event, and the local EMS office must be notified with 48 hours of an event whether or not a shock was delivered. This is done using an Event Form. If the physician at the local EMS office is the medical director, the details downloaded from the AED must accompany the Event Form. Special software is needed to download the details from the AED, if it is not provided with the purchase of the AED; the local EMS office can download the machine for you.
PAD Documents - click to download
