If you decide to get an AED for your home, make sure you learn how to use it and maintain it properly. If you don't, an AED will be of little use in an emergency.
Here are some tips for maintaining your home AED:
Don't rely only on instructional material provided with the AED. Enroll yourself and your family members in a community education class, such as classes offered by the American Red Cross, to learn how to use your automated external defibrillator properly. This will also allow you to come to the rescue if someone has cardiac arrest in a public place and there's an AED nearby.
Take the AED to your doctor's office. It may be helpful to demonstrate how you and your family would use it, to make sure you're using it correctly.
Have a family practice run using the AED as you would in an actual emergency. Remember, the AED works only on certain types of cardiac arrest. Know what steps to take if the AED indicates a shock isn't needed, but the person remains unresponsive.
Review your AED instructions. Refreshing your memory periodically can help you remember how to use the AED in an emergency situation.
Store your AED in an easily accessible place. Make sure all family members know where it is.
Keep the AED maintained properly, including installation of new batteries as needed, typically every four years.
Heed any alarms. Home AEDs are designed to test themselves to make sure they're working properly. If your machine starts beeping repeatedly, or you see a light flashing, call the device manufacturer. For problems with the HeartStart home defibrillator, Phillips Healthcare can be reached at 800-263-3342 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific time.
Learn CPR. Take a course to learn the signs of cardiac arrest, how and when to summon emergency responders, and how to perform CPR.
Buy the right AED for you. Some AEDs aren't intended for home use, but rather for emergency crews or for installation in public places. Don't be lured by websites or other sellers offering AEDs not intended for home use.
AEDs offer a way to save someone's life, perhaps your own. Before buying one, talk to your doctor and do a little research. And don't forget to learn the basics, such as CPR.