Public Access Defibrillator Program

About the PAD Program

CPR is vitally important to a patient's survival and final outcome. However, CPR alone will not fix the patient's heart. It will only buy them time to get to more definitive care. But there is one tool that can bridge the gap from buying a patient time to actually fixing the problem- an AED. An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a small, light weight machine that delivers a high voltage shock to the patients heart via two sticky pads. The use of high quality CPR along with an AED is responsible for the survival of 40,000 sudden cardiac arrest patients each year. This number may seem high, but when compared to the total number of annual cardiac arrest patients, it's not nearly high enough.

Program Accessibility

The Vermillion Community CPR program saw a need for AEDs in the Vermillion/Clay County community and started the PAD Program. Through this program, the members of Vermillion/Clay County EMS Association were able to place an AED in every Police and Deputy Sherrif's squad car along with several public access AEDs at local businesses and churches. These machines are checked annually to make sure everything is up-to-date and working properly.

Funding

The Vermillion Community CPR's PAD Program is solely funded by grants and generous donations. For more information regarding  public access AEDs, how to have one placed in your facility, or to make a donation please call 605-677-7098 or email Vermillion CPR.

Pulse Point AED

If a cardiac arrest were to happen, how are you going to know where to find an AED? This is a common question that is asked fairly often. To solve this problem, Vermillion Community CPR now has all of their public access AEDs registered with the smart phone application Pulse Point AED.

Download the Application

The Pulse Point AED app is available as a free download through both the Apple and Android market and will show you where all the public access AEDs are located. To download this free application, simply search Pule Point AED in the Apple or Android app store.

Locate an AED

Using your phone's location settings, the app will bold the closets AED to you. When you click on the bolded pin, the location of the AED, along with a picture and description of where to find it in the building, will pop up on your screen. This will give you the opportunity to get the AED while someone else begins CPR. 

In a cardiac arrest, when seconds count, this is a resource you want to have in your back pocket.