Accurate AED records can greatly improve the odds that a nearby device will be placed in service during a cardiac arrest event.

Meaningful location descriptions such as “In the gymnasium, under the scoreboard,” are much better than “on the west wall” (compass points are best avoided). The use of satellite imagery and geospatial coordinates that allow rapid map-based direction and retrieval are vastly superior to text descriptions alone. Ensuring that pin placement is precise is a key component of registry quality control.

Collection and maintenance of expiration dates for all AED consumables, such as batteries and pads, should be maintained. Collection of expiration dates supports expiration reminders and helps ensure that AEDs will be ready when needed.

When “report an issue” mechanisms are used by the community, such as stating an AED is not ready for use or an establishment is out of business, addressing the feedback report promptly is important. This helps keep the registry accurate and reinforces the community feedback loop.

Each AED record should be individually reviewed on a periodic basis. The PulsePoint AED Registry will highlight any AED not reviewed in the past 365 days.

Provide simple, convenient methods to add AEDs directly into the community registry—no paper forms and no rekeying of information.

Communities should host an online data entry form on their website to allow AED owners to register an AED. AED coordinators and community volunteers can use the PulsePoint AED app to simplify field-based data collection, including capturing images and determining precise GPS coordinates. PulsePoint agencies can also advise community members to use the easy-to-remember website, aed.new to report new devices to their registry.

Be responsive to those helping to build and improve your registry.

AEDs submitted by the community are placed in a "pending" status until reviewed by the local public safety agency. These pending AEDs are not shared with dispatchers or other responders and are not shown on public-facing agency AED maps. Promptly vetting these entries is considered a best practice. The PulsePoint AED Registry will highlight any AED in a pending status.

Emergency telecommunicators should have the ability to inform the caller of the location of nearby AEDs—not just ask if there is an AED nearby during a cardiac arrest emergency.

The PulsePoint AED Registry API (application programming interface) allows computer-aided dispatch vendors and emergency medical dispatch solution providers, to programmatically access AED information stored in the registry. The PulsePoint AED registry integrates seamlessly with Priority Dispatch’s ProQA Paramount allowing dispatchers to inform callers of the exact location of nearby AEDs directly within the protocol and with no changes to workflow. If you’re a Paramount agency this is one of the easiest ways to provide dispatchers access to the registry.

Along with the intention of getting CPR started faster and more often, a key objective of the PulsePoint Respond app is to use the registry to inform those near a cardiac arrest event of the location of AEDs in the immediate vicinity of the victim.

According to the latest AHA guidelines, "emergency dispatch systems should alert willing bystanders to nearby events that may require CPR or AED use through mobile phone technology (Class 1, LOE B-NR). Despite the recognized role of lay rescuers in improving OHCA outcomes, most communities experience low rates of bystander CPR and AED use. Mobile phone technology, such as text messages and mobile phone apps, is available to summon trained members of the general public to nearby events to assist in CPR and to direct those responders to the nearest AED. Notification of lay rescuers via a mobile phone app results in improved bystander response times, higher bystander CPR rates, shorter time to defibrillation, and higher rates of survival to hospital discharge."¹

Critical medications and supplies required for extremely time-sensitive medical emergencies such as severe bleeding, anaphylaxis, and opioid overdose are commonly being colocated with AEDs. These resources include Bleeding Control Kits, Naloxone (Narcan®), and Epinephrine (EpiPen®). Recording the presence of these items in the AED registry offers awareness to dispatchers and community members along with surveillance of dressing and drug expiration dates in a similar fashion to AED consumables (e.g., electrodes, batteries).

Your AED registry shouldn't be a secret! Use the trusted voices in your community to publicly discuss the registry and the importance of knowing where all AEDs are located.

Recognize dispatchers and community members that use the registry during cardiac arrest emergencies.

Place a map of AED locations on your website to showcase the existence of the registry and encourage people to report missing device.

Direct citizen participation can help create greater location awareness and mindfulness of the important role AEDs play in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival. Use contests and community events to foster conversations around public AEDs, reduce fear of their use, and make identifying and locating AEDs a family activity.

PulsePoint provides a wide range of outreach tools and campaign strategies to get your community AED-aware and ready to help. PulsePoint apps and marketing materials are available in multiple languages. If your agency serves a multilingual community, supporting the demography languages is critical for life-saving resources like AEDs. Here are just a few examples from the strategies link above:

• Partner with Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts to register AEDs as part of their community programs.
• Host an AED scavenger hunt and offer prizes to those that register the most AEDs.
• Piggyback on awareness weeks/months such a Heart Month (Feb.), Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month (Oct.), CPR/AED Awareness Week (June 1-7), etc., to promote AED awareness and encourage people to register AEDs.
• Place registered stickers on your AED cabinets to indicate that an AED has been added to the community registry. The stickers can also serve to increase program awareness and encourage others to add additional AED locations.