Although not as expensive as many hospital-use medical devices, AED is neither considered a cheap device, and not easily replaceable owing to their high cost. So, it’s important to know exactly how to store an AED and care for it.
AED Storage General Guidelines
There are many improper ways to “store” an AED, but only one proper way.
Here are a few general guidelines concerning AED equipment storage:
- Staff Awareness: Time and time again, there are heart-breaking episodes where a cardiac arrest takes place, but nobody employed in the building, be it an office, school, mall, or otherwise, knows where the AED is. This often takes a toll on the life of a person who could otherwise have been saved. Hence, to avoid such an unfortunate turn of events, all staff members employed under any firm, be in private, government, commercial, or otherwise, should be trained to know exactly where and how far away the nearest AED is mounted.
- Distant Storage: An AED may be stored in a far-off closet, or in an inaccessible, locked room out of fear of misuse, but this could cost a life. It is meaningless to have an AED within the premises if it’s not accessible. An AED should be placed within the immediate reach of a bystander in the event of a cardiac arrest.
AED Storage: Temperature
High or low temperatures can damage any AED. Every AED has an optimum operating and storage range. This varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but the general storage range is between 32° to 122°F (0° to 50°C) [1].
Storing AED equipment at extreme deflecting temperatures can affect its conductivity, sensitivity, and overall function. It can also damage the batteries [2]. They may experience premature discharge, which will shorten their life span significantly.
An AED’s defibrillator pads contain a gel-like substance. At high temperatures, this gel, which contains water, will experience excessive evaporation and lose its water content, preventing it from functioning properly. The pads may not stick to the patient’s chest, preventing them from receiving the electric shock. Storing an AED at higher than recommended temperatures may cause its gel pads to expire prematurely and serve no beneficial purpose.
AEDs are emergency devices that need to be in top working condition at all times to deal with a sudden cardiac challenge. Storing them at the wrong temperature robs them of this ability, rendering them useless and unhelpful in the face of adversity.
AEDs that are stored outdoors should be mounted in cooler places with shade and kept away from direct sunlight. Indoors, they should be kept away from heaters and stoves.
AED Storage: Location
AEDs should not be stored in unreasonable locations, like behind closed doors or too high on a wall for most people to reach. Instead, they should be positioned within the odd bystander’s reach. This means that they can be mounted on an easily accessible wall where the device can be spotted without searching too far. The wall bracket should not be too high or out of reach, nor too low so as to keep children at bay. The ideal height is 5 feet because most adults are taller than this, but children are shorter, so it’s safe.
The AED machine should also be regularly checked for damage caused by any factor, like temperature or time. If you choose to store the AED within reach, a wall bracket with an easily distinguishable label is an excellent option. Mindray provides a quality AED portfolio and durable AED wall brackets and some other AED accessories. Their products are exactly what a lifesaving device should be; reliable, strong, and dependable.
References:
[1] High Temperatures Putting Your AED At Risk. (2015). Available at:
http://www.aed.com/blog/high-temperatures-putting-your-aed-at-risk/ (Accessed: 24 February 2020)
[2] How to store AEDs in cold weather. (2018). Available at:
https://www.cardiacscience.co.uk/how-to-store-aeds-in-cold-weather/ (Accessed: 24 February 2020)
