AEDs at DoD Facilities

[Simusid]

I work at a DoD lab of about 4,000 people. It's in a fenced enclave with limited access. We have 1 nurse who has an AED. In my building alone of about 200 people I know 3 people with existing heart conditions. I've asked to have an AED placed in the lobby. The installation actually has an AED program that basically says "we'll put them where they are needed" but the official answer I got was "your building doesn't need one because emergency response is considered adequate". And that is the case with every other building on the campus. There are no other AEDs besides the nurses.

The unofficial answer I got was that they won't place AEDs due to "liability"

I'm pretty sure I've seen many current and former military folks here. My question is have you seen public AEDs in foyers or lobbies of any buildings on military bases? I'm trying to find some sort of prescedent.

I thought we had gotten past the whole issue of AEDs and liability but I guess not.

 

[Mooha182]

I have seen them over here in Germany. We have one for sure in each Gym as well as the pool. I am sure there is one in the medical clinic and possibly one in the Enlisted & Office clubs due to the amount of people that gather there daily. Our shopping mall as well as the base theaters may have one but I have no clue.

I understand where your coming from; I work in a building that is a 5 min response time for the fire department to our gate, however, it may take another 5+ min to get from our gate inside because it is a secure facility and even our cops don't know the combos beyond the fence. I routinely work on areas with large amount of single phase and three phase power, gas lines, and radiation hazard zones all in one area.

 

[dixie_flatline]

I work at a DoD lab of about 4,000 people. It's in a fenced enclave with limited access. We have 1 nurse who has an AED. In my building alone of about 200 people I know 3 people with existing heart conditions. I've asked to have an AED placed in the lobby. The installation actually has an AED program that basically says "we'll put them where they are needed" but the official answer I got was "your building doesn't need one because emergency response is considered adequate". And that is the case with every other building on the campus. There are no other AEDs besides the nurses.

The unofficial answer I got was that they won't place AEDs due to "liability"

I'm pretty sure I've seen many current and former military folks here. My question is have you seen public AEDs in foyers or lobbies of any buildings on military bases? I'm trying to find some sort of prescedent.

I thought we had gotten past the whole issue of AEDs and liability but I guess not.

Next time I am down the street I will check. I work for a large defense contractor and I know we have AEDs in all of our offices. I work up the street from a large-ish government facility, but I never took note of AEDs, or the lack thereof, down there.

What exactly is the liability? It's very difficult to shock someone who isn't in V-tach/V-fib... For my company anyways, I'm pretty sure it lowers our liability - our insurance and whatnot is actually cheaper with an AED on premises.

 

[Sunyata]

While not a military or federal agency, I do work for a state law enforcement agency. And every division headquarters has at least two AED's and each area office should have one AED. The HQ (which employs about 1,000 people) has two on each floor and one in each out building.

As for liability, depending on your state, I would think it would be covered under the Good Samaritan's Act.

 

[Simusid]

What exactly is the liability? It's very difficult to shock someone who isn't in V-tach/V-fib... For my company anyways, I'm pretty sure it lowers our liability - our insurance and whatnot is actually cheaper with an AED on premises.

I agree, that is why I was surprised. It was basically a brush off "can't do it....liability". That was pretty much it.

 

[mycrofft]

Can't speak to DoD, but airports have em aplenty.

Look elsewhere in threads for intricacies you incurr when you get AED's, such as battery control, rotation of electrodes, theft control, medical control, and periodic updates of software etc.

See if they will do a full-on cardiac arrest drill and see how long it takes to get an AED to the pt, without cheating.