AED Maintenance and Routine Inspection is Critical to Cardiac & Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Response

When owning an AED, there is an implied duty for AED maintenance and maintaining that emergency equipment be in a functional state. Although, modern AEDs require very little maintenance, preventative AED maintenance and inspection will protect you from legal action, and more importantly save someone’s life. 

At a minimum, you should follow manufacturer and industry recommendations for maintaining AEDs and supplies. Use a checklist that is industry standard HeartSafe Compliant American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines, keep logs and archives, and assign an AED site coordinator to regularly inspect the device. If you are looking at updating your AED, there are current models that actually do self report in to databases to show readiness and auto alert when the AED changes status or needs maintenance.

General Recommendations for Proper Continual AED Maintenance

Here are some general recommendations for proper continual AED Maintenance:

• Every AED should have at least 1 set of adult electrode pads and 1 battery within product expiration dates. 
• There should be an AED response kit close to AED or in the AED cabinet with the AED.
  • An AED carrying case is highly recommend to protect your AED and necessary accessories, especially if it is a mobile AED where consideration should be given to a Rugged AED Carrying Case
  • Other recommend AED Accessories would include a storage cabinet with appropriate signage, a first responder or trauma or Self-contained Emergency Treatment (SET) system/kit, and pediatric pads or pediatric pads placement reminders (if children are present in the facility)
• Every AED is designed to perform self-diagnostic tests which check the battery level and evaluate other internal components. The AED program coordinator should assign someone to do a monthly maintenance check and make sure the AED is in a “Ready to use” status. This check consists of, but not limited to:
  • AED is in its appropriate spot and unit is clean and dry
  • Pads and batteries are not expired
  • There is a complete AED response kit
  • The status Indicator on the front of the unit indicates ready to use
  • The AED is compliant with 2020 FDA standards and FDA-approved *link to other blog post we have?
• The individual that checks the AED should sign and date the AED inspection tag that is attached to the AED or near it and then give a copy of the completed check to the AED program coordinator to keep on file.  However, it is highly recommended to use the AED inspection tag to record expiration dates and visually ensure these supplies are replaced as needed but instead use an electronic time/date stamp through a mobile app or QR Code AED check tool such as AED Notify, HeartSafe or First Voice Manager *( links to each ??)

Online Tools for AED Maintenance & Inspection

The use of online tools such as First Voice Manager to ensure your program always remains in compliance – affordably and efficiently – does provide more protection as it is a valid form of archiving electronic time/date stamped inspections.  These historical AED inspection datasets show AED maintenance was performed and the AED owner did not neglect maintenance and actually is a path of civil liability legal protection for AED owners in most states. 

This unique and efficient First Voice Manager AED maintenance software can store plus manage the following: 

• Automated alerting & reports delivery anytime
• AED Administrator Privileges for moving, deleting, editing AEDs anytime
• Certified AED, CPR, First Aid users & training expiration dates
• AED Prescription (Rx) and Medical Director information
• Expiration dates of pads, batteries
• AED Serial Number & FDA/AED Recall tracking
• AED Use & Events Data Archives
• AED Program Policies & Documentation Resources Archives 
• Location of AEDs in facilities and AED Program Maps
• Non-Compliance Alerting Hierarchy Automation to Administrator/Management
• And more