Cardiac Arrest at Church?

A heart attack is quite serious, sometimes fatal. By contrast, cardiac arrest is caused when the heart's electrical system malfunctions and without immediate first aid can be fatal.  Cardiac arrest may be caused by irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmias. A common arrhythmia associated with cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation.  The AED unit provides electrical stimulation to get the heart back to normal rhythm.

The statistics for surviving cardiac arrest away from medical treatment are pretty alarming.  Here are a few of them:

• 92% will not survive if there is no EMS intervention.
• 475,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest each year; more than 350,000 occur outside of a hospital.  It is the #3 killer of Americans.
• It is essential to start CPR within 2 minutes so that blood flows to the heart and brain; by 9 minutes brain damage is irreversible.
• 11-12% of those receiving "bystander CPR" will survive  cardiac arrest.  
• The body has about 10 minutes of stored oxygen which needs to be circulated by CPR when the heart is not functioning properly.
• Most sudden cardiac deaths are caused by abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias. The most common life-threatening arrhythmia is ventricular fibrillation, which is an erratic, disorganized firing of impulses from the ventricles (the heart's lower chambers).

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)  is a medical emergency. You should dial 911 and start CPR right away if you suspect Sudden Cardiac Arrest in someone. Without quick action to revive the heart, a person can die in minutes. ... Giving CPR and using an AED within the first few minutes of SCA can greatly improve the chances of survival.

SCA can occur anywhere and that is why AED machines are now available in schools, stores, resorts and churches.  The key to their use is quick action by those nearby.  Take a look at this video which shows an actual rescue of a young woman playing volleyball.

Sudden cardia arrest could happen at church.  For that reason, Mountain View Lutheran Church has two AED units ready for action. (See the photos below and note their locations.)   The use of these machines calls for quick response from others who witness someone needing help.  Here are the steps recommended by the local fire department:

1. Get the person down on their back on the floor.  Check for some response from the person.  If unresponsive, they may have suffered a cardiac arrest. 
2. Have someone call 911.  The first question they will be asked is, "What is your location?"  Give them the physical address of the church:  2122 S. Goldfield Road, Apache Junction.  This will enable them to immediately get on the road.  Additional questions can be answered when the responders are enroute.
3. Begin CPR at the rate of 100 chest compressions per minute.  Don't worry about checking for breathing or removing obstructions.  The person has not been in water at church.
4. Have someone get the AED unit from its location and follow the instructions to hook it up to the person receiving CPR.  The unit will give verbal instructions for the next steps.

EMS crews should arrive at the scene in 4-5 minutes from the time of the call.  They will continue treatment as they move the person to their vehicle and proceed to the hospital.  Pray earnestly for their survival.

Church Entry Lobby (Narthex)

Family Life Center Lobby