|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BOMA International Publishes Second Edition Guide on Life-Saving Equipment in Office BuildingsWashington, D.C. - Sudden cardiac arrest kills more than 250,000 Americans every year, making it a leading cause of death in the United States. As a result, small, inexpensive, and easy-to-use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) designed for lay rescuers are appearing more regularly in commercial office buildings and public facilities to quickly assist victims within the critical first few minutes of the onset of cardiac arrest. The second edition of a new guide on implementing this life-saving equipment and corresponding training programs in commercial buildings is now available from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, the leading advocacy group for the commercial real estate industry. The Property Professional's Guide to Managing an AED Program explains how defibrillators work, the benefits, product evaluation factors, unit placement, liability issues by state, training lay responders, and integrating the program with local Emergency Medical Services systems. The guide, developed by BOMA in conjunction with the American Heart Association, is sponsored by Philips, a leading manufacturer of AEDs. "The survival rate with quick defibrillation for sudden cardiac arrest victims is so encouraging that we wanted to educate members about this new, advanced technology to protect commercial property tenants and visitors," said BOMA International's Chairman and Chief Elected Officer John P. Kelly, RPA, Ryan Companies US, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota. "On-site defibrillators are as important as fire extinguishers and first aid kits," Kelly continued. "BOMA's guide makes it easy for commercial building owners and managers to implement a successful early defibrillation program at their properties." Unlike a heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest has no warning signs.
It is an electrical malfunction of the heart typically associated with
an abnormal heart rhythm known as ventricular fibrillation. The only
effective treatment is defibrillation—delivery of an electrical
current to the heart—to reestablish a regular rhythm. Defibrillation
is most effective, however, if received within the first few critical
minutes of cardiac arrest. For every minute that goes by without defibrillation,
the chance of survival drops by about 10%. After 10 minutes, survival
is very unlikely. While many ambulances carry defibrillators, it takes
an average of 9 minutes to reach a cardiac arrest victim. As a result,
fewer than 5% of victims survive. In contrast, the survival rate for
victims defibrillated within 2 minutes is 90%. For a copy of BOMA's The Property Professional's Guide to Managing an AED Program, call BOMA International at (800) 426-6292 or order online at www.boma.org. Founded in 1907, BOMA International is a dynamic international federation of more than 100 local associations. BOMA's 18,500-plus members own or manage more than nine billion square feet of downtown and suburban commercial properties and facilities in North America and abroad. BOMA's mission is to enhance the human, intellectual, and physical assets of the commercial real estate industry through advocacy, education, research, standards, and information. For more information, visit the BOMA International website at www.boma.org. Philips Medical Systems is the worldwide leader in automated external
defibrillators. Its extensive portfolio includes x-ray, ultrasound,
magnetic resonance, computed tomography, nuclear medicine and PET, patient
monitoring, information management, and resuscitation products, as well
as a complete range of services that include asset management, training
and education, business consultancy, financial services, and e-care
business services. Philips Medical Systems is a division of Royal Philips
Electronics, one of the world's largest electronics companies. For more
information on Philips defibrillators, call (800) 453-6860 or visit
www.medical.philips.com/goto/heartstart. # # # CONTACT:
|
| Contact BOMA | Search | Top |