April 20, 2007 — Leading local health organizations in the State of Nevada partnered today along with Cardiac Science Corp., makers of advanced cardiac monitoring and defibrillation products, to announce the formation of Nevada Project Heartbeat, the first statewide Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program in the U.S.
Nevada Project Heartbeat's goal is to improve Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) survival rates in the state by raising the average citizen's awareness of SCA, and by providing places of business, public agencies, and other organizations with the tools and training needed to make AEDs available, accessible and affordable.
The key to surviving sudden cardiac arrest is the speed with which cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with defibrillation can be delivered. In addition to CPR, most cardiac arrest victims need an immediate defibrillation to restore the heart's normal rhythm. If a victim receives defibrillation within one minute of the SCA, there is a 90 percent chance of resuscitation. If a victim must wait ten minutes for defibrillation, the chance of survival drops to less than 5%.
"The AHA recognizes four links in the chain of survival. Early detection, early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced care," said J.W. Hodge, Public Education Manager at Reno-based Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA). "With more AEDs in the community, trained citizens become part of the emergency response system, increasing the likelihood that the four links can quickly and properly work together to save a life."
Cardiac Science Corp. has been selected as the program's preferred manufacturer and will provide the program with Powerheart brand AEDs. The partnership will use Cardiac Science's MasterTrak software to manage the Powerheart AEDs that are deployed across the state.
In practical terms, Nevada Project Heartbeat will help a variety organizations such as fire and EMS departments, educational institutions, places of business, and healthcare and municipal facilities to set up and operate their own, localized PAD programs wherever the public may congregate. Nevada Project Heartbeat will provide participating organizations with access to the following services:
* Preferred pricing for AEDs through Cardiac Science;
* Medical oversight, including physician validation of training,
standards, and procedures;
* Training in CPR with AED;
* Program Maintenance, including record keeping and data collection;
* Consulting on site selection and deployment;
* Incident management;
* Protection against loss, damage or liability associated with an AED
deployment.
"Single-city PAD programs have become fairly common in the U.S. and have been very successful," noted Julie Redding, Program Coordinator, Nevada Rural AED Grant Program at University of Nevada School of Medicine, Office of Rural Health. "It is our hope that Nevada's statewide program will inspire health professionals in the rest of the country to think creatively about how to design effective, accessible defibrillation programs that can have a broader impact. The University of Nevada, School of Medicine, Office of Rural Health is proud to be a partner in this effort."