“Extremely lifesaving” | More than 500 AEDs will be distributed throughout Clay County

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — A new lifesaving device will now be available to families across Clay County.

Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs are used for someone suffering from a cardiac arrest. The devices will be installed throughout the community. The kits will also have Narcan inside, proven to save lives by reversing overdoses, which if untreated can lead to a cardiac arrest.

We spoke with the Clay County Fire Rescue Bureau Chief of Paramedicine, Jairo Herrera, about the need for the 540 AEDs being installed, county wide.

“While we’re [CCFR] trained at high levels, and we have great equipment, the truth is, the county only has 12 fire stations,” Chief Herrera said. “Sometimes there may be a delay so when time is of the essence-- and you typically have two to three minutes-- if you shock somebody within two to three minutes you have a 70% survival rate. If you administer Narcan early, you have a better survival rate.”

Chief Herrera and other county leaders laid out the game plan for where these will be installed, on Friday. Officials were accompanied by the organization Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian group that specializes in disaster response.

The goal is to install 37 of these AEDs on Friday. There will be 540 total that are installed throughout the county in phases.

The county purchased these AEDs with federal funds from the National Opioids Settlement.

Some of the locations will include sports complexes, boat ramps, churches and senior centers.

“You turn it on. It follows you through the prompts. You attach the AED. It’ll tell you if you need to shock this person or not,” Chief Herrera said. “Very safe. As is Narcan. So, putting‘em together and distributing them to people is going to be extremely lifesaving.”

Click here to watch an instructional video on how to use AEDs.

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