AED given to Lynnwood rec. center, pool

Published 5:56 am Tuesday, February 26, 2008

LYNNWOOD — Every minute that goes by after someone has sudden cardiac arrest, their chance of living decreases by 10 percent.

According to Dan Schulz, paramedic for the Lynnwood Fire Department and a certified American Heart Association basic life support instructor, this is why he, other local paramedics and the Medic 7 Foundation feels so strongly about public access defibrillation (PAD).

This is a program to educate the public of the importance of being able to use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) on someone who is in sudden cardiac arrest.

Nowadays, many places with a high volume of traffic have AEDs available for use if needed – places such as airports and airplanes, golf courses, malls, office buildings, amusement parks and more.

The Medic 7 Foundation makes it part of its PAD mission to donate AEDs to places they find are in the most need of them in Southwest Snohomish County. While an AED is so basic and friendly a 4-year-old could use it, the program also trains those within the benefited organization to use and maintain the equipment.

The foundation started its program about five years ago when it bought an AED for the Alderwood Mall. About two years ago the foundation also bought AEDs for all five of the Edmonds School District high schools.

This month, the foundation has given an AED to Lynnwood’s recreation center and pool.

Greg Macke, acting medical services administrator for the Lynnwood and Edmonds Fire Department paramedics, said medics recommended the recreation center/ pool to the foundation for a donation because of the high need medics see at places where there is cardiovascular exercise.

“Exercise can bring on cardiac events on people who are susceptible,” Macke said. “We have data of us responding to multiple events at places like this.”

While they haven’t responded to the Lynnwood recreation center for a cardiac arrest anytime recently, he said it is just a matter of time.

But they have responded to other Lynnwood health clubs which don’t have AEDs.

For example, at least five sudden cardiac arrests have occurred within the past 24 months at recreation and gym facilities in Southwest Snohomish County, four in Lynnwood, Macke said.

Two out of the four customers at facilities without AEDs didn’t survive. One of the customers at a facility that did have an AED did survive, he said.

“It is possible if the AED was there and used immediately at those other facilities that they may have survived their cardiac arrest,” Schulz said.

Despite the high risk, 24 Hour Fitness, Bally’s Total Fitness and Pure Fitness Health clubs in Lynnwood still don’t have AEDs.

Spokespeople from both 24 Hour Fitness and Bally’s Total Fitness corporate offices told The Enterprise that the reason they don’t have AEDs at their clubs is because it is not yet required by the International Health, Racquet and Sports Club Association, the regulatory organization for both health clubs.

Sara Matheu, spokesperson for Bally Total Fitness, said “we currently have CPR trained personnel in each of our 420 clubs as the safety and security of our members is of the utmost importance. Should a law be passed mandating that defibrillators must be in health club facilities, we will certainly comply.”

Cindy Sell, executive director of fitness at Pure Fitness, which has six locations in Washington including one in Lynnwood, said they don’t have an AED at this point because of potential liability issues.

Many businesses and organizations that do have an AED have found that there is more liability to not having one than having one, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures website. This is one reason why legislators around the nation have made it easier to have them, according to the website. Washington state in 1998 passed a bill that allows lay persons to use AEDs under the state’s Good Samaritan law and gives limited immunity for trained persons as well, the website stated. Legislators added to the bill, “owners shall ensure ‘expected users’ complete a training course” as well.

Sell said she is aware there is a liability on both sides, but for now, she said their staff is trained to call 911 each trainer knows CPR and that is what is required.

According to Shannon May, a spokesperson for 24 Hour Fitness, “members are encouraged to notify staff if they feel at risk due to a medical condition,” May stated in an e-mail reply. “If any member experiences discomfort while working out … our staff is trained to take the appropriate steps to ensure that proper medical care is received.”

The problem with that, however, according to Macke and Schulz is that cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate by age, weight, or health and it can come on “suddenly” with no notice.

Often, people who are going into cardiac arrest are very healthy, strong, young people, EMS officials said.

Much of the time a person wouldn’t know they are susceptible to cardiac arrest and often it is a congenital condition as opposed to a heart attack which is different, EMS officials said.

“People don’t realize you can have cardiac arrest and not have a heart attack, they’re not one in the same,” Schulz said.

Another problem with just calling 911, EMS officials said, is that time is of the essence when it comes to sudden cardiac arrest.

“It’s all about time – the earlier an AED is used the better chance a person has to survive and recover,” Schulz said.

According to EMS experts, the key to survival is timely initiation of a “chain of survival,” including calling 911, administering CPR and using an AED as soon as possible.

Connie Askew was glad there was one nearby in 1997.

It was October and she was at her home in Edmonds with her husband when she went into sudden cardiac arrest. Medics from then Medic 7 were there in just a few minutes and were able to revive her with their AED.

Since then, Askew has been a major supporter of not only Medic 7 paramedics who are now separated into the Lynnwood and Edmonds fire departments, but also wanting to get involved in the organization’s non-profit Medic 7 Foundation. Askew is now a board member of the foundation.

“I’m a testimonial,” Askew said. “Thank goodness for that machine – I’m here today.”

Askew added that she works out at Harbor Square Athletic Club in Edmonds because they have an AED on site.

Staff at the Lynnwood Recreation Center and Pool are more than appreciative of the donation of the AED which cost about $2,600. It’s compatible with the AEDs on the paramedic units, said recreation manager Katie Anderson and assistant recreation supervisor of aquatics John Maddock.

An AED was actually in the department’s budget last year as a new program request, Anderson said, but was one of the many things that were cut because of budget crunches.

“We recognized that there was a need,” Anderson said.

She added that the city’s municipal golf course already has an AED on site.

By September all lifeguards and representatives from all over the department will be trained in using the AED. They are already trained in CPR, Maddock said.

“For people who are joining a recreation facility,” Macke said, “they should check that the facility has good safety practices such as having staff trained in CPR and AED use.”