Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Automated External Defibrillator

[Lynn Nadeau / Maraiah (welcome]

Ann Zabaldo's group was concerned about how to get the AED to a community 
member "in time". In our case (Port Townsend WA, RoseWind Cohousing) the 
intended use is in the Common House. If it could be of use in a neighboring 
home, or anywhere on the site, so much the better. But we have many older 
members, and numerous events and gatherings in our Common House with 20-60 
people. So we're preparing mainly for a possible heart failure there. The 
machine --- about the size of a kid's lunch box -- is in a wall mounted case in 
the pantry off our kitchen, with a sign directing to it, said sign being in the 
main room of the common house, by the fire extinguisher and emergency exit. I'm 
glad it's there. As for having trained people on hand when you want to use it, 
it is amazingly self explanatory, with clear recorded voice commands, graphics 
showing where to attach the chest pads, etc. It will not shock a heart that 
does not need it. Phone 911, get the person's shirt off and open the AED box 
and do what you're told to do....

Maraiah Lynn Nadeau
RoseWind Cohousing
www.rosewind.org