Q:  What types of emergencies might I encounter that would require CPR?

A:  According to the American Heart Association, approximately 7 million adults and children suffer disabling accidents in or around their homes each year.  Some of the common causes of sudden death that may require CPR include:  electric shock, heart attack, drowning, severe allergic reaction, choking, drug overdose, suffocation.

Q:  What is AED and why am I hearing so much about it recently?

A:  Automated External Defibrillators are specialized medical devices designed to recognize and treat certain lethal heart rhythms in the setting of a cardiac arrest. AEDs deliver an electrical shock to persons in ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, and they have been shown to decrease mortality when used by trained persons and used in conjunction with CPR.  AEDs are becoming a standard course of treatment in emergency situations, and the new "foolproof" devices that deliver audible and visible instructions for use make them invaluable in public areas.