Can AEDs be inspected by FF Admin?

[ElevAED]

As an AED (defibrillator) consultant I express the hope that AEDs in high-rises will come under the aegis of FF infrastructure/administrators.

My rationale for this is the fact that tower buildings are poorly protected against sudden cardiac arrests, and vehicular rescues by EMS simply take too long to reach the victim.

Ergo my proposal to the IFC (Fire Code people) is as follows for 2013:

“408.12.1* Public Access Defibrillation. Elevator lobbies shall include an automated external defibrillator (AED) in an approved location.”

The root idea is that an alliance with the AED industry would modestly expand the duties of FF's into the health safety area, by inspecting AEDs, and possibly emergency panel (NG911 Cloud) computers that might accompany and support AEDs (see image).

What is your read on this concept - is it practical, worthwhile, doomed, destined, or...??

Can the AED industry work with FF's to bring high-rise SCA rescues in-house, and have FF's inspect (not maintain) it? What obstacles would you expect?

Any comments much appreciated.

[MikeWard]

Fire Inspector certification training does not include medical devices.

Medical devices covered under Medical Society regulations - part of that physician oversight required when deploying medical devices in the public.

[CaptOldTimer]

It isn't the fire service duties to inspect the AED's in public buildings, that do not belong to the fire department and tag, certify or sign off on them.

That is a matter that the building owners has to have an acceptable contractor to inspect and certified these devices.

[ElevAED]

Fire Inspector certification training does not include medical devices.

Medical devices covered under Medical Society regulations - part of that physician oversight required when deploying medical devices in the public.

Thanks Mike. I do know that AEDs are progressively not requiring a physician's prescription because defibrillation is no longer considered a "medical act" (my explanation may be simplistic).

But an excellent citation of what has been in the way of this, historically.

[sfd1992]

It isn't the fire service duties to inspect the AED's in public buildings, that do not belong to the fire department and tag, certify or sign off on them.

That is a matter that the building owners has to have an acceptable contractor to inspect and certified these devices.

Kind of like fire extinguishers.

[ElevAED]

It isn't the fire service duties to inspect the AED's in public buildings, that do not belong to the fire department and tag, certify or sign off on them.

That is a matter that the building owners has to have an acceptable contractor to inspect and certified these devices.

That's what I need to hear, it's what has to bridged here. So if the AED's "belonged" to the fire department, as least as an inspection responsibility, would that be enough (that duty)?

Is the FD a priesthood ;-) or can they assume such contracts, practically speaking?

[ElevAED]

Kind of like fire extinguishers.

A good analogy, maybe it's exactly the case, seems to me.

So, the FD inspects extinguishers, but contractors maintain them.

What if AEDs worked the same way? - the manufacturers or 3rd parties do maintain them now. And there are inspection tags on AED equipment.

Given this, can the FD be expected to inspect them like fire extinguishers, as an expanded mandate?

The reason I ask is I think the AEDs need status and acceptance in these buildings, or SCA's will continue to be fatal too often (if only vehicular EMS is available). There has to be a partnership here FF<-->AEDs to properly deploy and adjust to them?

E.g., they were declined in the IFC in 2006 in big buildings because they were judged redundant, paramedics had their own, why do we need more?

But the paramedics can't be expected to get there inside 4 minutes. And to continue to think so may be taking lots of people down... we can do much better and those people in high rises deserve better.

[CaptOldTimer]

That's what I need to hear, it's what has to bridged here. So if the AED's "belonged" to the fire department, as least as an inspection responsibility, would that be enough (that duty)?

Is the FD a priesthood ;-) or can they assume such contracts, practically speaking?

The AED's would not belong to the FD. Too many people could monkey with them and there aren't under anyones' close control.

No FD isn't going to be out on a limb putting AED's in a public building.

They would belong to the owners or who ever has control of the builing.

They may look at them like a fire extinguisher or hose line there but that is far as they are going.

The same goes for airports, they, the airport, is responsible for the AED's and fire extinguishers.

[neiowa]

The AED's would not belong to the FD. Too many people could monkey with them and there aren't under anyones' close control.

No FD isn't going to be out on a limb putting AED's in a public building.

They would belong to the owners or who ever has control of the builing.

They may look at them like a fire extinguisher or hose line there but that is far as they are going.

The same goes for airports, they, the airport, is responsible for the AED's and fire extinguishers.

I think that's what he said. When FD does walk thru and checks the tags on fire ext etc they also check the tag on AED. Same as an ext. Has the AED been "maintained"/signed off on at the designated interval by a contractor for the building owner. FD will not even touch the AED during the inspection expect perhaps to be able to see the "GREEN/OK" battery indicator (likely a good idea) or as required to turn the inspection tag in order to read the tag.

Sounds reasonable to me. Likely an new profit center for a proactive extin. company.