An outdoor AED (automated external defibrillator) purchased by the Clearwater Lions has been installed on the outside of the Lions Building at Clearwater Lions Park. The AED unit represents a new chapter in life-saving devices that are being set up around the state. 

AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. AED Smart Monitored Cabinets are easy-to-use outdoor medical devices that can analyze the heart’s rhythm, and if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. 

Outdoor AED Specialist Joel Vogel had contacted the Lions about AED Smart Monitored Cabinets and was invited to give a presentation on the device and its lifesaving features. Impressed by the obvious benefits, Lions members purchased one of the units after receiving permission from the City of Clearwater to install it.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in the US, with over 350,000 Americans dying every year. The only treatment for SCA is CPR and a shock from an AED. Combined they take the chance of survival from less than 5% to around 80%.

Advocates for Health is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the survival of SCA by placing AEDs throughout Minnesota communities. To date they’ve placed over 80 of the units in publicly accessible outdoor AED smart cabinets.

The Clearwater Lions are considering donating more of the life-saving devices in the future.