SAFETY TALKS

The first week of June is also National CPR and AED Awareness Week. When an emergency arises, knowing CPR and how to use an AED can save lives. Stony Brook University is committed to making sure individuals that suffer sudden cardiac arrest have the best chance of survival possible by placing over 250 AED units throughout main campus, Southampton campus and University Hospital. AEDs are located throughout all Stony Brook campuses and generally located near main entrances or elevator lobbies.

EARLY DEFIBRILLATION

More than 15% of Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCAs) occur in a public location; therefore, public access AEDs and community training have a large role to play in early defibrillation. However, the number of patients who have an AED applied by a bystander remains low, occurring after only 10.2% of public arrests.

FUNCTIONALITY

Inside the AED box are pads and a diagram that shows where to place them on the bare skin. Once the device is turned on, a voice tells the person using it exactly what to do. Some devices offer this instruction in Spanish, but most are English-speaking. The first thing the AED will do is determine whether an electric shock is needed by analyzing the person's heart rhythm. CPR should be stopped only while the machine is doing this analysis. If no shock is advised, it will tell you to resume CPR. If there is a shockable rhythm, it will deliver the shock and afterwards will tell you to resume CPR.

MORE STATS

9 in 10 cardiac arrest victims who receive a shock from an AED in the first minute live. Bystanders administer CPR about 40% of the time and AEDs even less so. About 1 in 10 people who have cardiac arrests in public get this type of help. An estimated 15% of cardiac arrests in adults happen in a public setting.

TRAINING

Several hundred employees, including University Fire Safety Specialists, police officers, athletic coaches and trainers and other staff have completed the training and are CPR/AED certified. To schedule a training session, contact the University Fire & Emergency Services office at (631) 632-9678.

Please share the safety talk, for the noted month, with your employees and sign off on this form. All others should read for themselves. Completed forms shall be kept on file by the department.