According to OSHA, approximately 1,000 Americans die each day from sudden cardiac arrest. The majority of these occur outside a hospital and survival rates in the absence of an Automatic External Defibrilator are very low, (1 to 5 %).
http://www.osha.gov/dts/tib/tib_data/tib20011217.pdf
If an AED is present and is used within the first minute of cardiac arrest, survival rates can jump to as high as 90%. For each minute that passes before an AED is used, the chance of survival drops by about 10%. After 10 minutes, chances of survival are about nill.
www.vfibs.com/statistics.html
This is why we're seeing AEDs being installed all over in places like health clubs, auditoriums, airports, etc.
If approximately 1,000 Americans die each day from cardiac arrest, approximately 3 of those will be JWs. (Per the Watchtower Service Dept, U.S. JWs per capita is about 1:350.) Multiplied by 365, a little over 1,000 American JWs die of cardiac arrest annually. The majority of these events happen at home. However, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that possibly 5% of these happen in Kingdom Halls given how much time JWs spend there. (Every statistic up until now has been based on verifiable sources. The 5% is just my best guess.) If I'm right on the 5%, about 50 American JWs die of sudden cardiac arrest in Kingdom Halls each year.
What is the Watchtower's policy on local congregations purchasing an AED?
Don't do it. If the facility is owned by JWs, they will not allow an AED to be on site, even if it is a gift and trained personnel are available to use it. If the facility is rented and there happens to be an AED present, a qualified JW may volunteer to use it and not violate Branch Policy. This was recently confirmed to me by a Congregation Secretary.
Doesn't that just warm the cockles of your heart?
om
AEDs: What's more important , $$ or lives? (You probably already know the WT answer. )
by Open mind 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Open mind
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sir82
I'm not familiar with the WTS policy on that.
Did he say why?
Aren't those machines supposed to be pretty much idiot-proof? And even if used incorrectly, aren't there typically "good samaritan" laws that would protect the individual from legal liability?
What am I missing that the WTS would object to them? I can certainly understand their callousness and apathy in not going out and getting them, but why object if some elder happens to feel compassionate?
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Open mind
sir82:
"Did he say why?"
No, he said they didn't give a reason, but he speculated that they were probably concerned about liability. I read an article earlier today saying that Busch Gardens was sued by a patron whose daughter died. He sued because the DIDN'T have an AED on site.
http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2002/04/01/focus3.html?page=all
Hey WT lawyers, I know life's not very important, but you might want to sit up protect those $$.
sir82:
"Aren't those machines supposed to be pretty much idiot-proof? And even if used incorrectly, aren't there typically "good samaritan" laws that would protect the individual from legal liability?"
Yes to both. I've been trained on them and the worst you will do is not administer a shock because you can't figure the thing out. You can't shock someone that the machine hasn't analyzed and determined that a shock is needed. My only criticism of the AEDs I've seen is that the audible instructions the machine gives are only in English.
om
om
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Tech49
We had a request from the city to use our KH as an emergency shelter, in the extreme event that it was needed. Brothers weren't sure how to handle it, so asked the Mucky Mucks higher up the food chain.
End result: Sorry, no can do. WT can't be liable. KH is off limits if a natural disaster occurs.
I personally heard several friends say things like: "I thought we were supposed to be serving the community???"
Um, guess not !
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jamiebowers
Veterans groups in our small city donated AEDs to the police deartment about a year before my husband's cardiac arrest. He was the first person the police used it on. A friend and I started CPR to no avail until the police arrived. My husband's pacemaker showed that he was dead a full five minutes. He wasn't revived until after being shocked eight times. Thankfully, he CPR that was done kept enough oxygen circulating that he did not get brain damage.
I was told that AEDs only cost $3,000, (that was three years ago). It seems like a small price to pay to save lives.
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Open mind
Wow jamiebowers, I'm glad things worked out OK for your husband.
"It seems like a small price to pay to save lives."
And as with all technology, the price just keeps dropping. I'm pretty sure you can get an AED now for around $1200.
IMO, most JW congos would eagerly purchase one if they received approval from the lawyers in New York. A stroke of a pen is all it would take to save around 45 JW lives in the U.S. each year. I would imagine the numbers would be similar for other industrialized countries as well.
om