Seconds Define Survival
Fast action saves lives: equipping workplaces with AEDs and CPR training dramatically improves survival chances during sudden cardiac arrest.
- By Jessica McQuay
- Oct 15, 2025
If a co-worker or customer collapsed in your place of business, was unresponsive, and stopped breathing, would you or your employees know how to respond beyond simply calling 911?
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is when the heart suddenly stops beating. A person becomes unresponsive and stops breathing normally. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time—to children, teens, or adults, regardless of age, physical fitness, or health history.
In the US, statistics show that an average of 1,000 people die outside of hospitals every day from a sudden cardiac arrest. It is classified as one of the most lethal public health problems, according to the American Heart Association. However, studies have shown that the use of CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) within 3-4 minutes of collapse can increase the chance of sudden cardiac arrest survival by more than 60 percent. For each additional minute that passes without defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent.1 That’s why it’s so important to understand where the AEDs are in the places you spend the most amounts of time.
A study of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that 66.5 percent survived with the help of a bystander-administered AED, versus 43 percent who survived after waiting for an emergency medical crew to deliver a shock to their hearts.2 The same study also showed that cardiac arrest patients were more likely to return to their normal neurologic levels when assisted by lay bystanders who used AEDs instead of waiting for emergency technicians.
“AEDs save lives, and that is the bottom line. You cannot afford not to have one,” says Brad Floy, an athletic trainer for the University of Iowa. “Every minute it takes for an AED to arrive on site, the chances of survival drop by 10 percent. We understand this, which is why we always keep one by our side during work.”
At Westgate Resorts in Orlando, Florida, team members are trained how to correctly deliver CPR and use an AED in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) at all properties. This specialized training is a cornerstone of their commitment to safety, evident in their motto: Safety All Day Safety Every Day.
“In our training, we discuss signs of cardiac events and what to look for. Some examples include chest pains and shortness of breath,” says Thomas Aleck, corporate director for loss prevention, safety and compliance at Westgate Resorts. “These are some of the reasons I recommend trainees take the AED device with them when responding to incidents. Proper training is always important.”
To help support better preparedness across your organization for responding to cardiac emergencies:
- Get CPR and AED certified. Provide training and certification for your staff. A quick internet search can help you find a local training organization that can provide training in a variety of formats, such as on-site, virtual, group, or individual.
- Install AEDs within your business’s physical locations. It is recommended to have one AED within 1-2 minutes of any location within a building.3 AEDs should be prominently displayed and visible to all customers and visitors in case of an emergency.
- Ensure everyone within your organization understands that when they see someone become unresponsive and stop breathing normally, they need to call 911, start CPR, and tell someone to get an AED.
REFERENCES:
- Goyal A, Chhabra L, Sciammarella JC, et al. Defibrillation. StatPearls [Internet]; 2022, August 10. Available from: https://tinyurl.com/49umkvpd
- American Heart Association, https://tinyurl.com/mu9uxrac
- U.S. Department of Labor: Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Best Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program. OSHA Publication 3317, page 10 (2006). Available from: https://tinyurl.com/52swru99
This article originally appeared in the October 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.