You to Participate in the
Defibrillation
Program
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| New York State Invites You to Participate in the |
| Public Access Defibrillation Program |
Every year, about 250,000 Americans die as a result of heart disease. Most of these deaths occur suddenly from cardiac arrest.
Late in 1998, Governor Pataki signed into law the Public Access Defibrillation Law, ensuring wider use of a remarkable new technology that can jumpstart an arrested heart. These machines are expected to save thousands of lives each year.
Some medical experts suggest that the use of this new technology might increase the initial survival rate of cardiac arrest victims from 2 percent to as much as 40 percent.
Remember .. always call 911 or your local emergency number first in any medical emergency.
The Public Access Defibrillation Program seeks to place automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at a number of locations to ensure greater public availability. New York State is encouraging your organization to participate in this program.
When a human heartbeat is interrupted, damage done to the victim is directly related to the length of the interruption. The sooner a normal heartbeat can be re-established, the better. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) helps keep oxygen flowing to the body, but it doesn't restart the heart. An AED can re-establish a normal heartbeat if used early. By placing AED equipment at many locations, your organization can help ensure wider public access, and help many heart attack victims benefit from this life-saving technology.
An AED is an electronic device that delivers electricity to the heart to re-establish a heart rhythm that will generate a pulse. It also has a recording device to store the patient's electrocardiogram and information about the machine's operation.
Because it includes a rhythm analysis system that determines if the patient needs a shock, it can be used by operators who need less intensive training than emergency medical technicians.
Any properly trained person can perform this vital procedure. No formal education in medicine or science is required. New York State is looking for corporations and other organizations to participate in this life-saving activity, and can refer your organization to appropriate half-day training programs available throughout the state.
Individuals and organizations making a good faith effort to provide urgently needed medical attention are protected by the Public Health Law (Article 30, Section 3000-A), sometimes referred to as the Good Samaritan law. This guarantees that any person who voluntarily and without expectation of monetary reward provides emergency treatment will not be liable for damages for harm alleged to have occurred, unless it is shown that he or she is guilty of gross negligence.
| You can begin by taking the following steps: | |
| 1. | Identify a physician or hospital to serve as the emergency health care provider for the program. |
| 2. | Develop and execute an agreement between your organization and the emergency health care provider. This must include written practice protocols and policies for the use of the AED. |
| 3. | File a "notice Of intent" form (DOH-4135) with your local Regional Medical Services Council, and attach a copy of the executed agreement between you and your emergency health care provider. This form may be obtained from the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, which can also provide technical assistance with its completion. |
| The practice protocols and policies must include at least: | |
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Initial training in CPR and in using an AED, and a schedule for periodically reinforcing the skills of AED users |
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Arrangements for immediate access to emergency medical care (such as posting a 911 number, and the name and address of your local emergency health care provider) |
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Arrangements for easy identification and location of AEDs at the site |
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Details on how the person discovering a potential cardiac arrest should identify and announce a cardiac arrest, request AED equipment and trained responders and notify the local emergency health care provider |
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Details on who is to respond, how he or she will access the AED and how the equipment and supplies will be transported to the patient |
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Details about regular maintenance, inspection and supply procedures; how the AED will be reconditioned after each use; and how your organization plans to participate in a regionally approved quality assurance program |
- New York State Policy 98-10, "Public Access Defibrillation"
- Public Health Law Article 30, Section 3000-B, Public Access Defibrillation
- "Notice of Intent" form
For further information, please contact:
New York State Department of Health
Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
433 River Street, Suite 303
Troy, New York 12180
Phone (518) 402-0996
OR
Read the PAD Letter and download the application packet
State of New York
George E. Pataki, Governor
Department of Health
Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner
