Your phone could save a life
A new service - possibly the first worldwide, according to its
founder - seeks to direct people speedily to the nearest automated
external defibrillator (AED) should someone nearby suffer a heart
attack.
An AED is a portable device that analyses heart rhythms and advises
those who help the victim and need not be medically trained, if an
electric shock is needed - and provides it.
Leveraging on a Google map, Dr Dana Elliott Srither and a team of
helpers at volunteer organisation First Aid Corps, have uploaded the
locations of some AEDs across Singapore, Australia, Europe and several
other countries.
Currently, these can be found in public places, such as shopping
malls, schools and hotels, including Parkway Parade Shopping Centre,
VivoCity, Ngee Ann City, the National University of Singapore and
Singapore Expo Convention Centre.
The Singapore Sports Council has also installed AEDs at its sports
centres, stadiums and swimming pools, while private clubs such as The
Home Team Academy, Singapore Island Country Club and Tanglin Club are
also equipped with the device.
Users have to install the Google map on their phone, which is free.
For now, this service is only available on Windows Mobile phones, Palm devices or those running on the Symbian operating system.
Once the application is activated, users only need to press the
number 0 and in under 10 seconds the locations of AEDs nearby will turn
up, with an accuracy of 50 to 100 metres.
Time is of the essence when locating and using an AED, and should be used within five minutes of a heart attack.
It takes paramedics between 8.6 to 14 minutes from the time they get a call to reach a patient.
According to the American Heart Association, the chance of survival
from a heart attack decreases by seven to 10 per cent with every
passing minute.
In Singapore, the survival rate is 2.7 per cent, if a person suffers a heart attack outside a hospital.
Much hinges on the availability of data on the location of the AEDs, which Dr Srither reckons is "far from extensive".
Dr Srither is a medical director at LifeResus, a local AED distributor.
The team has updated about 300 locations worldwide, and only about 12 locations - some with more than one device - in Singapore.
He urged members of the public to help by passing on information on the location of AEDs.
Said Dr Srither: "We know that AEDs are few and far between, but we
want to use technology to maximise current resources. So say, a
shopping centre has only one AED, but at least with this tool the
public can locate it easily instead of running around to ask people."
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1009292/1/.html
wth based on google maps but doesn't work on andriod OS which is made by google?
note to self: i must remember to install this service, just in case i come across someone in public having a heart attack!
singapore got deploy AED meh?
Originally posted by PedoBear:singapore got deploy AED meh?
Yes. Some public buildings have it.
I've seen them all over NUS.
Originally posted by PedoBear:singapore got deploy AED meh?
yes, even some shopping malls oso have..
for example marina square is one of them..
Originally posted by PedoBear:singapore got deploy AED meh?
Suntec has them.
are the AEDs heavily guarded?
can i take and play around with it?
Originally posted by PedoBear:are the AEDs heavily guarded?
can i take and play around with it?
please go find something else better to do..