American AED is now a proud provider to the
Boys & Girls Club of America!

We’ve teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club of America to make lifesaving AEDs more accessible and affordable than ever!

But what even is an AED in the first place? And why does your club need one?

What is an AED?

An automated external defibrillator, or AED, is a portable device that can help save lives during sudden cardiac arrest emergencies, in which a victim’s heart suddenly stops beating. It analyzes the victim’s heart, and then delivers an electric shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. These units can be used on both adult and pediatric patients alike.

You can find AEDs at a variety of different public locations such as airports, schools, churches, stores, government buildings, and more. They’re intended to be readily available for anyone to quickly grab and deploy during an emergency.

How Do You Use an AED?

AEDs are designed to be easy enough for anyone to use during an emergency, even with no previous training whatsoever. Units are equipped with real-time instructional guidance, not only showing you how to perform each step of the rescue process (including CPR) but verbally telling you as well. All the user has to do is grab the device, press the power button and then the unit will begin providing instructions, verbally directing the user on what to do next.

Why Are AEDs Important?

Having an AED on hand during an emergency is oftentimes the difference between survival and tragedy. The AED visually and verbally coaches you through the rescue, even reminding you to call 911, something many can easily forget to do during the commotion of an emergency.

According to the American Heart Association, over 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen every year in the United States. More than 90% of those cardiac arrests are fatal. Without immediate response, most victims don’t have a chance. However, performing CPR and administering an AED can dramatically increase the chance of survival. With immediate defibrillation from an available AED, survival rates jump by 50%-74%, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Rising Need of AEDs

The recent incidents with Damar Hamlin, Bronny James, and Christian Eriksen were three globally televised examples of the rising need for AEDs. All three were elite athletes in excellent health, showcasing how sudden cardiac arrest can truly happen to anyone at any time. In fact, it is the leading cause of death in young athletes, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, all three athletes avoided tragedy thanks to quick response and immediate defibrillation.