It really is. I've been to over a dozen cardiac arrests where the patient was surrounding by a gaggle of able-bodied adults, doing nothing except looking confused.
Speed, even over quality, is of the essence: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21736-cardiac...
Even shitty CPR is better than no CPR.
This is not opinion it is evidence-based medicine.
https://www.ems1.com/ems-products/cpr-resuscitation/articles...
The ones we have act like smoke alarms in a low battery state. They produce a visual flash and an audible chirp to draw your attention to the device.
> They only last about 2-5 years before they need replacing.
The batteries are replaceable.
Even though we all agree they are prudent, you rarely meet people for whom checking battery health is part of the routine is they go on holiday. The audible chirp (and eventual full out false alarm) is just horrible user interface for not-so exceptional use case.
It's not uncommon for AEDs to also need firmware updates, although this typically doesn't effect the usability of the device.
There are prescription AEDs and non-prescription AEDs. In most of the non-prescription ones I've seen the pads are part of the self check and you will get an alert if they're out of tolerance or past expiration. All the Philips HeartStart AEDs, which is what we have in our offices, have this feature.
> AEDs to also need firmware updates
There's a set of release notes I'd very much like to read.
Having these on delivery trucks ferried by unskilled drivers in non emergency vehicles who might just happen to be close enough?
Or just having them in almost every house on the block even if some number of them fail to work on first use?
I strongly suspect the latter is the better choice. Just replace AED with fire extinguisher and we could literally repeat this entire conversation.
I suspect there is a limit to this ideology. It's not an area where I'd expect more to automatically equal better. Moreover, if you want AEDs in residential areas, why not just install them there? Make it part of code for new constructions.
> “And for Amazon, it valorizes their image.”
At the expense of their employees. Do your delivery drivers get a pay bump? Do they get hazard pay? These scenarios can get pretty hairy and there's a decent chance they may end up watching someone die. Do they get time off? Counseling? Anything like what other first responders are expected to get?
> The program’s backers also speculated that Project Pulse could improve driver retention.
Managerial nonsense. They're trying to solve public perception problems of congestion and driver quality of life issues by having them run around with AEDs? This is pure corporate insanity.