Aed Maintenance Requirements: The Benefits You Get When Your Aed Is Serviced Regularly

By Author: michellumb44
Total Articles: 2996
Comment this article

It is a good thing to have an AED at your place of work or any other facility. It however does not stop at just having one, you should be able to maintain it and meet the requirements set for owners of AED. It is good that you maintain your AED in proper working condition so that it is available for use when an emergency occurs.
Have a spare battery for your AED service at all times as is recommended in most user manuals. Do not wait for the AED to start beeping or flashing light for you to check if anything is wrong but make it a habit to inspect the AED routinely. Some problems will still be present even when there is no flashing or beeping. Following the maintenance procedure is not only a requirement by law in various states but also a way for you to ensure that you can actually save lives if there happens to be an emergency.
How Often Does an AED need to be Checked
It is your duty as an AED owner to maintain the equipment in a functional state. Do this to prevent serious harm to a patient and loss of life in most cases. When you purchase your AED read the user manual as well as the maintenance requirements ...
... that will extensively inform you how often the AED should be checked for maintenance.
Have your AED service system serviced annually. The servicing involves more than changing batteries and electrode pads. It involves periodic and thorough testing of software and the functioning of the shock button to ensure the AED is in peak condition when you actually need to use it on a victim.
Update AED Software
The AED software must be updated because an AED is a complex device that is controlled by an internal computer that runs a specific software. Sometimes manufactures of AED update their AED software and they provide these updates to users with no charges. For some AEDs you can only update the software by first purchasing additional computer programs, special cables in addition to other hardware. Sometimes one is required to return the AED to the manufacturer for update.
The updates can correct problems in AED programming and which is one of the major reasons why it is important to update software. They can be because of improving detection of shockable heart rhythms and use of power by the AED. The updates may also help to extend the life of the AED and the components making it.
Choosing an AED
It is advisable that you choose an AED that is easy to maintain. Choose one that you can easily upgrade at no charge to the owner, for example the Defibtech line of AEDs
These are easy to use and the software updates are given to users free. AED Maintenance Plan offers a tracking system which monitors service intervals and advises customers in advances if their AED needs any service or component replacement. AED tracking system provides a means of customer contact if there happens to be an AED recall by Health Canada or the manufacturer.

Find more information relating to AED service, and AED Maintenance Plan here.