As some of you may know, last month a bill, Conner’s Law, was introduced by County Executive John R. Leopold requiring Public and Semi-Public Pools in Anne Arundel County to equip facilities with an Automated External Defibrilator (AED). The AED program required under the bill must include provisions ensuring that:
1) An AED is provided on-site within 300 feet of Pool
2) An individual trained in the operation and use of an AED is present at each swimming pool
3) The AED is registered with the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems
On July 24, 2011, Bart Bieber, a 41 year old family man, died due to sudden Ventricular Fibrillation at a public pool. After 10 agonizing minutes of CPR, a bystander called to report the incident, the emergency service responded in 3 minutes but it was too late. Bieber was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. A lawsuit dated April 12, 2012 was filed against the pool stating the obligation of lifeguards to call 911 if anyone goes into cardiac arrest and its duty to maintain the pool in a safe manner, including having an AED.
An AED is a portable device used to administer an electric shock to the heart and restore the heart’s normal rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest. Ventricular Fibrillation (VF), the abnormal heart rhythm that most often leads to sudden cardiac arrest is treatable with an AED device. Recent statistical information includes:
- There is an estimated 388,000 annual drowning deaths worldwide.
- Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 4, according to the center for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s the fifth leading cause of accidental death of all ages.
- An average of 10 people die per day due to drowning.
If you are looking to implement an AED at your facility please give us a call. We are currently working with numerous pools in Anne Arundel County to implement successful AED programs. We also offer Leasing and Rental programs!
For more information on implementing AED’s at your facility, please contact Chesapeake AED Services at 410-238-2242.
*Photo Courtesy of the Anne Arundel County www.aacounty.org
