Tips for proper use and maintenance of AEDs

If you get an AED for your home, make sure that family, friends and visitors know where it is and how to use it. And you need to maintain it properly. Here are some tips for buying and maintaining your home AED:

• Buy an AED approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can check the FDA's website for a list of approved devices.
• Register your AED with the manufacturer. That way you'll receive safety alerts and recall notices. Also, check the manufacturer's website periodically to keep current on information about your device.
• Learn what you need to know. Consider enrolling yourself and whoever might need to use your home AED in a community education class, such as classes offered by the American Red Cross, to learn how to use your automated external defibrillator properly and to perform CPR. This will also enable you to come to the rescue if someone has cardiac arrest in a public place and there's an AED nearby.
• Have a practice run using the AED as you would in an actual emergency. Because the AED works only on certain types of cardiac arrest, the people who might need to use the device should know what steps to take if the AED indicates that a shock isn't needed but the person remains unresponsive.
• Store your AED in an easily accessible place. Make sure family, friends and visitors know where it is.
• Keep the AED maintained properly, including installation of new batteries as needed, typically every four years, and replacement of electrode pads as needed. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and be sure to have spare pads on hand.
• Heed alarms. Home AEDs are designed to test themselves to make sure they're working properly. Be sure you can hear the alarm. If your machine starts beeping or you see a light flashing, call the device manufacturer. Keep the number handy.
• Buy the right AED for you. Some AEDs aren't intended for home use, but rather for emergency crews or for installation in public places. Don't be lured by websites or other sellers offering AEDs not intended for home use.

AEDs offer a way to save a life. Before buying one, talk to your doctor and do research. And don't forget to learn the basics, such as CPR.