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M.G. Car Club Victoria -AED/First Aid Procedures

Introduction

It is now common practice for commercial and recreational organizations to have one or more AED (Automated External Defibrillator) units available as a rapid response measure for the benefit of their members, and also for members of the public, who may suffer a life threatening heart episode in the vicinity of the AED.  The Club owns a portable AED unit which is to be available at all Club Competition Events (other than where an AED equipped ambulance is provided), and other major Club gatherings such as XPAGMUS.
Due to communications difficulties and the short time available to deal with this type of medical incident, it is not appropriate to take the AED unit on tours or runs.

AED logo

When not in use at events, the AED is to be kept in a prominent position in the Clubrooms where it is readily available for use in the case of emergency.
The unit is stored on a small trolley along with a comprehensive First Aid Kit and a marker board. 
To mark the position of the AED at events, a feather flag with the international AED and First Aid symbols, and the Club logo, is provided.  This flag is to be kept with the AED unit at all times.
The Club is to maintain a “bank” of members trained in the delivery of CPR and the operation of the unit. Initial and continuation training for these members is to be provided by the Club. Members who have qualified elsewhere in CPR are encouraged to have their details included in the database.

Management of the AED Unit

The Officials Register is responsible for:

  1. Ensuring the AED unit is serviceable.
  2. Ensuring the contents of the First Aid kit are current.
  3. Implementing procedures in relation to the AED use.
  4. Arranging initial and continuation CPR/First Aid training for an adequate number of members.
  5. Maintaining a database of trained operators and having this available on the Club website.
  6. Ensuring that the AED manual and other related paperwork is properly filed and readily available in the Clubrooms, and that the unit is stored, handled and maintained in accordance with the manual.

The Competition Committee is responsible for:

  1. Ensuring that the AED and First Aid Kit are positioned at all competition events where an ambulance will not be provided.
  2. Ensuring that the feather flag is erected in the immediate vicinity of the AED, and that all attending are aware of the unit's availability and position.
  3. Ensuring that the Melway reference of the event location is written on the marker board.
  4. Ensuring that the names of trained members attending the event are written on the marker board.

The member in charge of any major non competition event is responsible for:

  1. Ensuring that the AED and First Aid Kit are positioned at the event.
  2. Ensuring that the feather flag is erected in the immediate vicinity of the AED, and that all attending are aware of the unit’s availability and position.
  3. Ensuring that the Melway reference of the event location is written on the marker board.
  4. Ensuring that the names of trained members attending the event are written on the marker board.

Training

The Officials Register is responsible for coordinating training, which includes calling for nominations, selecting members, arranging the training sessions, and maintaining records.
Training is expensive, and needs to be refreshed annually, so there will be a practical limit on the number of people who can be trained by the Club.
Fortunately there are avenues available for members who have not received formal CPR training to familiarize themselves with an approved CPR technique. This is dealt with below.

Emergency Actions

It is impossible to plan a procedure of every medical emergency, so what follows are guidelines. The initiative of persons near the casualty will be critical.  Early action is imperative and the first person on the scene, whether qualified or not, can play a critical role at the outset by at the very least getting the casualty lying on his or her back, clearing the airway and commencing the heart massage part of CPR, see the following paragraph.  The sooner trained members are on the scene, the better.  The first person on the scene should call for CPR qualified  members and for the AED unit to be brought to the casualty immediately.  Qualified members are to proceed post-haste to the casualty, ensuring that the AED and First Aid Kit are also with or on the way to the casualty.  They are to then deal with the casualty as trained.  Any other person on the scene is to phone for an ambulance, and provide the emergency operator with the Melway Reference of the event venue, and immediately proceed to the entry point for the venue to meet the ambulance and direct it to the position of the casualty.  The members assisting the casualty are to continue CPR and the use of the AED until the ambulance arrives.

All members should have their own personal action plan if they are confronted with a casualty requiring CPR.  This situation can arise anywhere and at any time and not necessarily at a Club event.
Here is a video of an approved CPR technique which can be performed by one person and which does not involve breathing assistance.
The procedures of the international authority on CPR, The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), give rescuers the option to remove breathing from CPR, thus making it compressions only CPR. This is acceptable in Australia, having been approved by the Australian Resuscitation Council.
All members are urged to view this video and make themselves fully aware of the technique.  It is not complicated, and is easily remembered, and could make the difference to a casualty’s chances of survival.

Some people have the view that they are at some legal risk in dealing with a casualty.  This is not correct. If we do whatever we can to assist the victim, we are protected by law if we do our best in the circumstances notwithstanding the outcome.  Far worse to stand by and do nothing and have someone die!