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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah officials are encouraged to find most schools have defibrillators on hand, but they say there is a long way to go to saving lives with the machines.
Ninety percent of high schools in the Utah High School Activities Association reported they have at least one automated external defibrillator (AED) on property. However, assistant director Bart Thompson said some responded that they weren't sure about battery power or parts, and some schools were unsure about training.
"It's really not that involved in terms of time or money, but it really is critical so that people aren't afraid of it," Thompson said.
The American Heart Association and the Parent Teacher Association are working together to fundraise in the fall. They hope to raise money for more and newer AEDs for schools, and the Utah Legislature allocated money to match fundraising efforts. One way the organizations will be raising money is through the first home football game.
However, getting more AEDs is only one part of the equation: students and faculty need to be trained on how to use them appropriately so they can be used in case of an emergency.
The survival rates are staggering for those treated with an AED within minutes of the emergency versus those who aren't. An estimated 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before getting to the hospital, and chances of survival are reduced by 7 to 10 percent with every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation, according to Cardiac Science.
These AEDs can help the athletes, students, teachers or anyone visiting the school, but Thompson said an AED doesn't do any good locked in a principal's office or somewhere else.
"Make sure they are available and in a place where they can be used by a PE class or a sports team that's practicing," Thompson said.
AEDs are commonly used on sports courts where athletes can be prone to hard conditions or emergencies, like going into cardiac arrest.
For AEDs in highly visible areas, Thompson suggested video surveillance and clear warnings on the AEDs.
