Oregon Public Broadcasting

You should be seeing more of those automatic heart-shocking devices in Oregon.

A new law took effect with the new year, requiring owners of large buildings to keep at least one of the so-called AED machines on hand.

Chris Lehman got a crash course in how to use one.

Let's get this out of the way first. AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. That's kind of hard to say, so I'm just going to use the acronym.

Stephanie Morgan with the Red Cross demonstrates the use of an AED.

Now, some basics on the new law. It applies to any building with more than 50,000 square feet of floor space, except schools and churches. The building also has to have at least 25 people there on a daily basis. Think box stores and office buildings.

Now, let's learn how to use one. My instructor is Stephanie Morgan with the Red Cross in Portland.

Stephanie Morgan: “The machine will not shock unless it detects a shockable rhythm.”

That's a good thing since it means you don't have to worry about delivering a shock to someone who doesn't need one. The machines are designed to smooth out irregular heart rhythms that occur during cardiac arrest.

Morgan says research has shown that a cardiac arrest victim is much more likely to survive when a defibrillator is used as quickly as possible.

Stephanie Morgan: “If they are not conscious and they are not breathing, you should absolutely get the AED. Unconsciousness is your first clue.”

So if you've never used an AED before and you know that someone's life is hanging in the balance, what do you do? In short: follow the instructions.

Sound of AED: (beep) “Place pad exactly as shown in the picture. Press firmly to patient's bare skin.”

Morgan demonstrates how to use the device on a testing dummy. Once the pads are in place, the machine analyzes the heart rhythms to see if a shock should be delivered, and if so, what kind.

Sound of AED: “No one should touch the patient. Shock advised. Stay clear of patient. Press the flashing orange button now. Shock delivered.”

It's worth noting here that even if you break out the AED, someone should still call 911. After the shock is delivered, the machine even gives instructions on how to perform CPR.

Sound of AED: “Keep time with the beat.” (sound of electronic beat)

People who attempt to use an AED are shielded from liability under an existing Oregon law. Now, the new law will protect businesses from lawsuits, except in cases of gross negligence.

What constitutes gross negligence isn't spelled out in the law. But Josh DeChristo, a product liability attorney in Portland, says companies are more at risk if they fail to comply with the law and don't have an AED at all.

Josh DeChristo: “It would be pretty difficult to argue that they weren't negligent at that point.”

The law doesn't specify how the new regulation will be enforced. And while it easily passed the Oregon Senate, most Republicans in the Oregon House voted against it. During a debate on the House floor, GOP Representative Matt Wingard was one of several lawmakers who called it an unfunded mandate.

Matt Wingard “We didn't offer a tax credit or anything to offset this public good that we're demanding that they spend money on.”

An AED generally costs at least $1200, and top of the line models can run $3000 or more. That price is a factor for businesses when it comes to choosing where to put the machine.

Make it too accessible and someone could make off with it. Make it hard to find, and it could be useless in an emergency.

Stephanie Morgan with the Red Cross comes down on the side of putting the AED in an area with high visibility.

Stephanie Morgan: “If it's by the elevator bank, it becomes just like a fire extinguisher. Everyone knows where it is.”

The law only requires large buildings to have one AED, but Morgan says businesses with many floors such as downtown office buildings should consider purchasing more. She says the best rule of thumb is to have an AED no more than a couple of minutes' walk away from a patient.

Online:

Oregon Senate Bill 556