On the morning of June 8, 2010, 80 year old Clifford Ray was working out at his Hollister, California Gold’s Gym. At 9:30 he was discovered on the leg-lifting machine, slumped over and lifeless. Gold’s Gym employee Josh Buzzetta was immediately called over to assist Mr. Ray. Mr. Buzzetta checked for a pulse and upon finding none, knew he had to begin CPR and possibly defibrillate Mr. Ray’s heart. Mr. Buzzetta called 911, grabbed the AED and with the help of his friends, Joe Perry and Jason Broyer, began administering CPR. After two sets of CPR had been completed, the three rescuers hooked the AED up and administered one shock to Mr. Ray’s chest. He began to breathe and a faint pulse was detected. Paramedics soon arrived and transported Mr. Ray to the hospital. If it weren’t for the quick thinking and quick reactions of these three men, Mr. Ray most likely would have died.
David Madden knows this all too well. On April 18, 2010, Mr. Madden was working out at his Newburyport, Massachusetts, Fitness Factory Health Club, when his heart stopped beating and he collapsed. He was getting ready to refill his water bottle after completing a workout on the treadmill. He felt dizzy and passed out. Luckily, Amy Aldrich, a cardiac nurse, and Janet Nicolaisen, a certified EMT, were nearby. Someone asked the front desk to call 911 and Ms. Aldrich and Ms. Nicolaisen rushed to Mr. Madden to administer help. Lois Chapman and Stacy Maxon, two Fitness Factory employees brought the automated external defibrillator over. The unit had been purchased seven years ago and had never been used. But 24 seconds after it was turned on, Mr. Madden received an electric shock. His heart began beating and he regained consciousness. Ms. Nicolaisen said that in her 21 year EMT career, she has never had a patient wake up after a cardiac arrest! Kate Hudson, a co-owner of the club said and that all their employees take a mandatory three hour training course on the use of the AED unit and on CPR. She said the AED is easy to use and won’t administer a shock unless no pulse is found.
In Illinois, effective January 1, 2005, a new law went into effect. The Colleen O’Sullivan law was enacted in honor of 30 year old Colleen O’Sullivan, who died while working out at her health club in August, 2002. For reasons unknown to her family and friends, an AED was available at the club, but no one used it. The law requires Illinois health clubs (as well as golf courses and school gyms) to have at least one AED onsite. And, it requires that each facility train its employees on AED use.