scope:

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program is to provide timely response to victims of sudden cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The American Heart Association estimates that 250,000 Americans die each year from sudden cardiac death as a result of coronary artery disease. Sudden cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation is a treatable condition and potentially survivable, when defibrillation is applied within the first minutes. The quick response of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in a community can have a significant impact on survival rates from cardiac arrest. The use of an AED and properly performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), early recognition, and application by trained lay rescuers can improve the outcome from cardiac arrest.

APPLICABILITY

This MWI applies to the personnel, programs, projects, and activities at MSFC and MSFC's Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF), including contractors and resident agencies to the extent specified in their respective contracts or agreements. ("Contractors," for purposes of this paragraph, include contractors, grantees, Cooperative Agreement recipients, Space Act Agreement partners, or other agreement parties participating in the AED program.)

This instruction does not replace emergency medical services.

MAF shall develop a site specific instruction.