SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — City leaders in Sandy Springs are launching a program to place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the city to reduce cardiac arrest response times.
The initiative aims to start with 200 AEDs in the community.
Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers learned that Northside Hospital donated $100,000 to the city to purchase around 100 devices initially.
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“Cardiac arrest is the third leading cause of death in America,” said Northside Hospital Cardiologist Dr. Jeff Marshall. “And the sad thing about it is it’s sudden, often with no symptoms.”
The City of Sandy Springs says its goal is for help to arrive within four minutes of a cardiac arrest incident.
First responders in Sandy Springs say around 4,600 Georgians died from cardiac arrest in 2023, with nearly 90% occurring in homes.
“[Sandy Springs] was below the national average. If you went into cardiac arrest in the city of Sandy Springs, you had a very low chance of survival,” officials said at a city council meeting last month.
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The AEDs will be strategically placed in businesses and homes, particularly targeting areas with higher incidences of cardiac arrests, using historical data.
All AEDs will be connected to a system that allows the dispatch center to activate the device and notify the nearest responder, with built-in GPS providing turn-by-turn directions.
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