The American Heart Association and National Safety Council strongly encourage businesses and public facilities to establish automated external defibrillation (AED) programs to increase the chances of survival for people with heart-related emergencies. With proper emergency response training and an emergency plan, an AED could save the life of a co-worker, friend, family member, or stranger.
In 2009, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, alongside Boston EMS Command and Dispatch Staff, proudly announced "AED Alert," a new tool designed to improve cardiac survival in Boston. When a 911 call comes in from a public facility and an AED is onsite, Boston EMS' computer aided dispatch (CAD) system will trigger an alert prompting EMS Telecommunicators to provide the caller with instructions on where to retrieve the device and how to apply it. Boston EMS Telecommunicators are specially trained to handle difficult situations and serve as a critical link between patients and our field crews.
Studies have repeatedly shown that immediate bystander CPR combined with defibrillation within 3-5 minutes of a collapse can help improve cardiac survival rates. There have been several instances in Boston where quick CPR and AED use have helped save a life. For example, Olivia Quigley, a 6-year-old girl who collapsed at an East Boston school in 2009, was saved by the combination of immediate bystander CPR and AED, among other treatment. If you don't know CPR, we encourage you to learn.
Boston EMS maintains a database of over 1,000 AEDs throughout the City - mostly in public buildings, athletic clubs and large office towers. To have the most updated system possible, we need to know the location of every AED in Boston. If your business or organization has an AED, please report its location through our new online form. The AED Location Form is also available in PDF format to download and print. For questions, please contact Deputy Superintendent Claire McNeil at (617)-343-1115 or send an email to aed@bostonems.org. Boston EMS can also help an organization choose the best defibrillator and train staff.
Boston EMS teaches courses on CPR and how to use an AED. Remember, you are never alone in an emergency. Call 911 for help.
