Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. It claims the lives of 220,000 - 250,000 people in this country every year. When SCA strikes, seconds mean the difference between life and death. With each minute of elapsed time, the survival rate diminishes by 10 percent.

Thanks to an easy-to-use, portable device called an automated external defibrillator (AED) and training from your American Red Cross, ordinary people can be lifesavers. By delivering an electric shock to the heart, an AED can restore a heart's normal rhythm. Immediate use of an AED, in conjunction with CPR, could save up to 50,000 lives a year.

American Red Cross AED training teaches anyone how to respond to victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Participants will learn how today's AEDs are easy to use, thereby minimizing response anxiety.

Create a safer workplace.
The Cardiac Arrest Survival Act provides Good Samaritan protection to lay AED users. Many companies have acquired the latest AED technology to bring their employees this critical safety advantage. For about the price of a laptop computer and a modest investment in training, your employees wil be prepared to save the life of a co-worker, a customer or anyone else who suffers sudden cardiac arrest at your facility.

Create a Complete AED Program.
Your American Red Cross chapter can assist you in every phase of creating an AED program:
• Training your employees in CPR and AED skills
• Purchasing AEDs
• Developing or upgrading emergency procedures

Training flexibility fits your schedule.
Depending on your needs, courses can be presented at your location or at an Orange County chapter classroom. You can also send employees to our instructor course and prepare them to teach these life-saving skills to your employees. Our chapter will work with you to ensure that your training addresses the specific health and safety concerns in your workplace.

To download a quick overview of the AED program, please click here.

For more information on AEDs and AED Training, please contact Marsha McNamara at (714) 481-5353 or mmcnamara@oc-redcoss.org.