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MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Hennepin EMS announces the addition of a new information system that will assist 9-1-1 dispatchers in helping callers locate life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) available near sudden cardiac arrest victims.
“The problem is that until now, publicly available AEDs are rarely used in an emergency because people don’t know where they are, they can’t see them and 9-1-1 dispatchers are unaware of the location,” said Chris Kummer, Manager with Hennepin EMS.
The new system from Atrus, Inc. called AED Link™, shows the location of registered AEDs on 9-1-1 agency consoles. “AED Link™ lets us instantly see the location of all registered AEDs near a sudden cardiac arrest victim so we can send someone to get it in time to help save a life,” Kummer added. Both Hennepin EMS and Atrus officials anticipate the system to be available by October, which is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest awareness month.
In addition, AED Link™ can also instantly notify nearby trained, volunteer citizen responders who have access to nearby AEDs that their assistance is needed. “This brings a person who knows where the AED is, and has been trained on that AED, to the scene faster. And in the case of sudden cardiac arrest, time is the most critical issue.” Kummer added. In 2011, Hennepin EMS managed 7 cardiac arrest cases where a bystander used an AED. In 6 of those 7 cases the patient was resuscitated and walked out of the hospital neurologically intact. “While there are many factors to survival, bystander intervention with CPR and an AED is clearly a key link to survival,” says Brian Mahoney, MD, Hennepin EMS Medical Director. “This system can increase the number of bystander uses of AEDs so that we can have more of these great saves.”
“With this system, we can make every AED in the service area of Hennepin EMS much more likely to be used in an emergency,” Elliot Fisch, Atrus’ President/CEO said. AED Link is also installed with Allina Health Emergency Medical Services, which serves more than 80 Minnesota communities, where about 1 million people live.
AED owners should visit Minnesota.NationalAEDRegistry.com to register their AEDs at no cost.
About Hennepin EMS
Hennepin EMS is an Urban/Suburban 9-1-1 Emergency Medical Services agency that handles approximately 60,000 calls for service each year from the citizens and visitors of Hennepin County, Minnesota. Based at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, the agency serves 14 municipalities, covering 266 square miles and a population of over 700,000. For more information visit: www.hennepinems.org
About Atrus
Atrus, Inc. (www.atrusinc.com) is a South Florida-based company that owns and manages the National AED Registry™ (www.nationalaedregistry.com). The registry is a free service that helps individuals and organizations maintain their AEDs and manage their AED programs. AED Link™ is a licensed software program that can be integrated with all forms of computer aided dispatch systems and emergency medical dispatch software. AED Link is installed with Allina Health Emergency Medical Services, as well as communities in California, Florida, Canada and the Cayman Islands.
