The Kansas Board of EMS has partnered with Cardiac Crusade, a 501(c)(3) charity, to identify and register AED locations across the state. This partnership’s goal is to save lives by providing EMS/911 systems and the general public instant access to AED locations in case of sudden cardiac arrest.
Joe House, Executive Director for the Kansas Board of EMS, states, “Bystanders are the first and most integral piece of 911 response to cardiac arrest. Without their recognition and activation of the 911 system, there is no chance for survival. Sending someone to bring the closest AED and providing hands-only CPR is the key to potential survival until emergency responders arrive.”
Julie Coon, co-founder of Cardiac Crusade says, "We are excited to partner with the State of Kansas to join us on this mission to save lives. Their partnership with us is indispensable. We encourage volunteers to join us to identify and register more AED locations throughout the state."
Julie Coon is part of the 10% club of those who survive a sudden cardiac arrest. In 2018, Julie suffered a sudden cardiac arrest near her home in Plano, Texas. Fortunately, bystanders quickly administered CPR and used an AED to restart her heart. Julie’s near-death experience inspired her and her husband, Greg, to launch Cardiac Crusade.
Julie grew up in Salina, Kansas, graduating from Salina Central High School in 1985. Julie’s father, Bob Ott, was raised in Kansas, served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1981 - 1987, and has owned several businesses in the Salina area. He currently serves as an advisor for Cardiac Crusade.
Cardiac Crusade is seeking volunteer groups such as Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis, Scouts BSA, and student groups to register AED locations in their communities. To get started, volunteers and leaders can access “Get AED Locations on the Map in YOUR City - A Step by Step Guide” from the Cardiac Crusade website, https://cardiaccrusade.org/.
There are numerous ways volunteers can help to get AED locations on the map:
- Follow Cardiac Crusade on Facebook for upcoming events and notices.
- Be a Social Media Advocate - Share the “Stayin’ Alive” video from Cardiac Crusade’s home page. The video captures real cardiac arrest saves using CPR and AEDs.
- Identify and Register AED locations. Open a browser on a smartphone and type aed.new. In the “Search business name or address” field, enter the business name and follow instructions.
- Become an AED Location Verifier so 911 operators can access those AEDs to direct bystanders to retrieve the closest AED. Training takes 20 minutes via Cardiac Crusade’s website. Click the red button: “Become an AED Location Verifier.”
- Add Outdoor AED Kiosks to Public Places in communities. Cardiac Crusade has a program for those connected to local government leaders to get AED kiosks in local parks, athletic fields, and other public gathering locations. Contact Cardiac Crusade for details.
- Be a Cardiac Crusade Champion - A Cardiac Crusade Champion leads an “army of volunteers” in their city. Download “Get AED Locations on the Map in YOUR City - A Step by Step Guide” from the Cardiac Crusade website, https://cardiaccrusade.org/.
Cardiac Crusade’s initiative is currently in Phase 1: Registering AED locations, and making those locations available to EMS/911 systems. Phase 2 goal is getting AED locations searchable natively on your phone via Google Maps and Apple Maps.
For more information on Cardiac Crusade’s mission, to donate, to watch Julie’s TED Talk, or to sign up to become an AED Locator, visit https://cardiaccrusade.org/.