Public Access Defibrillation

What is Pad?

P ublic A ccess D efibrillation is a program that allows for automated external defibrillators to be available to the general public.

A defibrillator is a piece of equipment that gives a malfunctioning heart an electrical shock. An electrical shock can restore the heart’s normal rhythm if it’s given within minutes of sudden cardiac arrest.

Why use a defibrillator?

Every minute that passes without defibrillation cuts a victim’s chances of survival by 7-10 percent. After just 10 minutes, very few victims survive.

Many cardiac arrest survivors have no disabilities. There’s no lasting damage to the heart, so he/she can live for many more years.

What causes cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrest is usually due to some underlying form of heart disease. Most events are caused by abnormal heart rhythms call arrhythmias. The most common arrhythmia that causes cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation. In this condition, the heart’s electrical impulses suddenly go haywire, often without warning. That causes the heart to stop pumping.

 When cardiac arrest occurs, victims lose consciousness, have no pulse and stop breathing normally. They die within minutes – unless they get help.

AED Automated External Defibrillator

Who can defibrillate?

• Until recently, only emergency medical personnel could defibrillate. They were trained to interpret arrhythmias and decide when a shock was needed.
• Survival depended on the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system being contacted and arriving quickly.
• Unfortunately, quick EMS response isn’t always possible. Even the very best EMS systems run into delays. These can be due to heavy traffic, secured complexes and difficulty locating the victim.
• But today technological breakthroughs are bringing new solutions. Now trained laymen can use automated external defibrillators (AEDs). These new devices are safe, effective, lightweight, and easy to maintain and use. They are also fairly inexpensive.
• Having trained laypeople equipped with AEDs can save precious minutes – and lives.

What if my department / organization wants to get an AED?

You cannot simply purchase an AED and put it into service. New York State has specific requirements that must be met prior to using an AED.

New York State University Police manage the Binghamton University PAD program and have met all PAD requirements for New York State. The oversight physician is Dr. Michael Leonard of Binghamton University Health Services Center.

1. Any group wishing to take part in the AED program must contact the PAD Program Coordinator at University Police.
2. To maintain consistency in training and emergency response, Binghamton University has standardized on the Cardiac Science PowerHeart fully automatic AED. All further AEDs on campus shall be of this manufacturer and comparable model.

In An Emergency DIAL 911 from any campus phone.

Binghamton University PAD Program

For questions about the PAD program, please contact one of the following individuals: