Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a true health epidemic — in the United States and around the world. In the U.S. alone, it kills more than 450,000 of our family members, co-workers, patients, friends and neighbors each year—more than car accidents, breast and prostate cancer, handguns, fires and AIDS combined.

Still, unlike other health problems of such magnitude, SCA is treatable.

The only cure for most cases of SCA is immediate shock therapy from an AED, or “Automated External Defibrillator,” which is a device that shocks a lifeless heart back to a normal rhythm. An astounding 50 percent to 70 percent of those who receive defibrillation from an AED within three to five minutes of sudden cardiac arrest survive, as compared to less than 3 percent when CPR alone is used.

The key, then, is to make AEDs available within minutes of wherever people are, so the needed ‘therapy’ from a defibrillator can be delivered immediately, even by non-medically trained personnel.

In June 2006, Whole Foods Markets chose the Defibtech AED to install in all of its Florida stores and work locations, becoming the first supermarket chain in Florida to deploy these life-saving devices. In an effort to protect both their customers and employees. Whole Foods seemingly understood what lead ing health organizations, and more and more Americans, already know – that SCA can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere, and that AEDs are essential to saving SCA victims.

While AEDs used to cost as much as $4000, today one can be purchased for as little as $1,245 – and sometimes even less. For many reasons, spending $1,245 for an essential piece of safety equipment that has a proven track record of saving lives makes logical sense, especially in a workplace environment, where we spend the overwhelming majority of our waking hours.

In fact, OSHA estimates that approximately 15 percent of all workplace fatalities are caused by SCA. Recently, there have been numerous court cases that support the idea that the protection of its employees and customers is the responsibility of a business.

AEDs are also now viewed as a medical standard of care, which are already expected in other public places such as schools, stadiums, malls, physician and dental offices, and airports, and there is growing momentum to make them as common as fire extinguishers.

With their simple, intuitive operation, AEDs don’t have to be used by medical personnel. With minimal or even no training, lay first responders can be very effective in delivering a lifesaving shock to restart a stopped heart. Federal and state Good Samaritan laws even protect people and organizations who act in good faith to try to save the life of someone suffering from SCA.

Most places of business would not think of operating without fire extinguishers and smoke detectors easily at hand. Similarly, many businesses large and small are beginning to realize the need to have AEDs on site.

The public perception of AEDs is changing. Initially regarded as complex medical devices, AEDs are now viewed as logical and easy-to-use consumer and facility safety products, with the same proven life saving effectiveness as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, and just as necessary. For this very reason, AEDs belong in every workplace across America. FSM