December 26, 2008
Holiday guests are enjoying themselves, talking, laughing, drinking champagne when suddenly, someone collapses on deck.
You rush to their side, check for responsiveness and get no response.
You send someone to call for help and another person to grab your automated external defibrillator (AED). You look at the victim’s chest, listen for breathing and you do not hear, see or feel any breathing sounds. You pinch the victim’s nose, tilt their head to open the airway, give two full breaths and begin 30 compressions just like you were taught in CPR class.
Finally the AED arrives. You continue performing CPR while another person removes the victim’s shirt, applies the AED electrode pads, and presses the green start button.
But nothing happens.
That person presses the green button again, and again nothing happens. The unit will not turn on; the battery is dead and you do not have a spare.
The above story is fictional, but it can and does happen. Don’t let it happen to you. Start this new year with a check up for your first aid kit.
Look for expired medications. If anything is expired, order replacements and get rid of old medications properly.
Look at your medical oxygen. Is it full? When was the last time the oxygen tank itself was inspected? What about the oxygen mask, nasal cannula and tubing? Are these in good condition? If they look old, warn or yellow, it might be time to replace them.
Your medical oxygen (quantity of air) should be inspected regularly. The tank itself generally requires inspection every five years and should only be filled with "medical" oxygen, which is highly filtered.
Most AED manufacturers recommend a monthly inspection of your AED. Create a log book or use an AED inspection tag and visually inspect your AED each month. AEDs have two major parts that must be replaced periodically – the battery and the electrode pads.
The battery and electrode pad life will vary depending on the make and model you own.
Most electrode pads have a two-year life; the expiration dates should be clearly marked. The battery, once installed, has a life span from two to seven years. Write the install date on the battery or on a sticker on the back of the AED as a reminder of when it was last installed. Don’t wait until the AED gives you the low-battery beep. Be proactive and order a new battery before this happens.
When inspecting your AED verify that you have a spare set of electrode pads as well as pediatric electrodes if you have children on board. Also check that your AED has been updated to the new American Heart Association guidelines. It may also be worthwhile to check if your model has been recalled or requires a software update. Check with the manufacturer or contact a vendor that services AEDs for help with this.
When inspecting your medical kit and AED check to see if anything is missing. If you are not sure what something is or what it is used for, ask. If you have medications or medical equipment that no one can identify, find out why you have it, what its purpose is, if you really need it and if you need training to use it.
"It is vital that the medical kit be checked every six months to ensure medicines and supplies are in date," said Rebecca Castellano at Ocean Medical International. "Medicines past their expiration dates can rapidly lose potency, making them ineffective."
Castellano recommends that the medical kit be stored away from temperature extremes, which can contribute to the degradation of medicines and supplies.
"I have found kits stored in the engine room," she said. "The latex gloves had hardened into a rubber ball, rolls of tape transformed to a gooey glob. The medicines were all expired, powders were crystallized and liquids were solid."
Much like a car or boat, the cost of a total replacement is significantly more than the cost of proper maintenance. Inspect and maintain your medical kit so that it is there when you need it. Being prepared for emergencies is the key to saving lives.
Keith Murray, a former Florida firefighter EMT, is the owner of The CPR School, a mobile training company that provides CPR, AED and first aid training. He also sells and services automated external defibrillators. Contact him at +1-561-762-0500 or keith@theCPRschool.com . Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com .
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