How to get an AED: Simple steps to prepare for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

When sudden cardiac arrest happens on your field, will there be an AED there to save a life?

When sudden cardiac arrest happens on your field, will there be someone prepared to save that life?

I don’t think there is much to say that hasn’t already been said. The headlines tell the story. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the leading killer of young athletes. It is the leading cause of death on school campuses. This is not new data, this is our reality and the only way to stop children (and adults) from dying when Sudden Cardiac Arrest happens is an emergency action plan that includes CPR Compressions and access to an AED.

That’s it. It's very simple. We are all making it complicated. It's not and we are going to help simply take action.

5 Steps You Can Take Right Now

Step 1. Send this message to your club director and coach right now. “Do we have an Emergency Action Plan for training and games? Will there be an AED available for anyone on our fields for training and games? Where is the AED, can we all learn how to access and use it?”

Step 2. Make sure you know where the AED is and how to use it. If you don’t have an AED - I have resources at the bottom of this page to help you get an AED. Sign your players, coaches and parents up for Take10 training. Just E-mails us (jennifer@soccermomsanddads.com). We have paired up with the Matthew Mangine Jr. Foundation to provide Take10 training, it takes 10 minutes to get familiar with compression only CPR, learn what an AED is and how to use it and how to put an Emergency Action Plan in action.

Step 3. Emergency Action Plans (EAP) should be reviewed annually and rehearsed every season, if you have and EAP ask for it to be reviewed with the team and parents. If you don’t have one, we have a template that can be easily filled in (e-mail us for a copy).

Step 4. Rehearse your Emergency Action Plan each season. It takes less than 10 minutes.

Step 5. Share this with every person you know. If your coach and club won’t listen to you they will have to listen to an entire team. If they don’t have the money to purchase an AED collect from everyone on your team and check out the resources below. There are AEDs available for much less than you would expect.

Resources for buying an AED

The Matthew Mangine Jr. Foundation is an incredible organization out of Northern Kentucky that is working with schools and sports organizations around the regions to make our sports safer. AEDs are just one of their passions but it all stems from a need for emergency action plans. Send an email to both contact@matthewmanginejrfoundation.org and pvmiles@gmail.com and put in the Subject “Referred by Ohio Soccer Moms and Dads” they provide AEDs at a fraction of the price it would cost to buy anywhere else.

Cintas is where I got my AED and although it is much pricier doing it the way I do it, I still think it is a great value. While other suppliers have AEDs on back order for weeks if not months, Cintas will get you an AED in like 2 weeks. The cost is about $150/month but you get the AED, all of the accessories including a cabinet installed (this is like a $600 value), trained on your device and assigned a dedicated service manager that comes and checks your device monthly. Back in June, my AED’s battery stopped working and they met up with me immediately and changed out my battery and checked the device for any other issues.

Send an email to SchwinghamerE@cintas.com and copy HughesN@Cintas.com and put “Referred by Ohio Soccer Moms and Dads” in the subject line. If they can't help because of geography they will pass you on to someone who will.

For both of these we don’t get any sort of commission but we do have a really good relationship and they know we are referring clubs and they will take really good care of you. If they don’t - let me know.

I'm often asked what AED I have and it is a Zoll, I also recommend you check out Defibtech (affordable) and Avive (new to the market but affordable and light weight). Phillips and Striker are also good brands.

I also highly recommend you check out Project Adam. There is a wonderful checklist that can be used to help your soccer team prepare for a Sudden Cardiac Arrest event.

Together, we can create a safer sports environment and protect the lives of our athletes. Take the initiative, spread awareness, and work with sports organizations to ensure they have the necessary plans and equipment in place. Let's make a collective effort to safeguard the well-being of those we care about, so they can continue doing what they love without unnecessary risks. Let's act now, because when sudden cardiac arrest happens on your field, you want to be prepared to save a life.