AEDs and First Aid kits for recreational facilities

Our attorney weighed in on this a while ago. HOA's are not a public accommodation
and there is no expectation to provide AED's or first aid kits, both of which only add to
your Reserve spending and are a magnet for theft and vandalism. The only device that is required
by law or regulation almost everywhere is providing an emergency 911 call box, install that and
you're covered.

Actually, you aren't required to have AED training, although it's recommended so people are more comfortable with using them (once upon a time, my job provided basic first aid training, CPR and AED training). The machines are designed so any member of the public can use them, even without training. Once you turn it on, the machine tells you what to do, where to place the pads and counts dksn before the shock is delivered.

As for the first aid kit, it's not a bad idea, but probably unnecessary because it's faster to call 911. The operator will ask questions and give the caller basic information on what to do before EMS gets there and stay on the phone with you until they arrive.

All of that said, you may want to Google "good Samaritan law" in your state that discuss protection for people who step in to help someone in a medical emergency. Yes, there are some things you need to be aware of, which a good first aid class will also review. It was the first thing we discussed when I took my first aid training.

Why not contact your local red cross office and see if someone can come out and give first aid training? Residents can pay for it themselves ( it's not expensive) and considering many of you have young children or elderly folks in our homes, getting some basic trsining can pay for itself and then some should the unexpected occur. You can request that AED training be included - the more residents who get familiar with the machine, the better.

PS - has anyone checked the age of your AEDs lately? It's recommended they be replaced every 10 years.

Stuff ain't cheap, so if this group wants all that,tell them they can lobby their neighbors to green ulight adjusting assessments to pay for it or make a generous donation. You can't always get what you want so let's see how serious they are about making this happen.

Indeed AED's are not cheap and they have a short lifespan and like fire extunguishers need routine inspections.

An HOA had no duty of care until the HOA accepts the duty. You are opening yourself up to more liability providing AEDs than not. Untrained persons operating and failure to test and maintain.

That is not the case with the AED our HOA has, Terri. Medical professionals "trained" residents, but assured us that anyone can operate the AED because it gives voice instructions.

As with any medical emergency, the person who wants the AED should call 911 first.

Our HOA's had ours about a dozen or more years and so far as I know it's never been called for. NO staffer who'd bring it to a condo unit may operate them as their employers do not allow it. (My HOA has no direct employees)

The night my husband died the two police officers who responded before the fire department didn’t know how to use the defibrillator. They put it on his chest and one said to the other - what do I do?

Thank you, Kerry.
Then they falsified their report and claimed the firemen arrived before they did!
Maybe the defibrillators now come with easier instructions. I hope so.

So...as noted a couple of times above AEDs--at least ours, and I assume most --give vocal instructions.

Here in Cali, and maybe everywhere, there are many state strict rules about them. Ours are summarized at: https://echo-ca.org/hoas-and-defibrillators-pros-and-cons/

I honestly don't think my HOA follows all of them, but I do know that we've had an annual contract for years about the maintenance-- I think I recall we rent it and that firm makes the required check-ups, etc.. I think we pay about $1,200-1,500/ann. I do think one staffer is trained annually about it, but is still not permitted by their employer to use it. It's in our drive entry kiosk, which is staffed 24/7. The kiosk officer brings it to the person who calls wanting it.

I'm glad we have it and would use it if needed. Our residents are probably 50% over 60 y.o.

What I think is ridiculous is the 2nd newish one in the gym. As with Lori's pickleball court, it is locked from midnight-5am, so no access to the AED. A lot of the time only a sole person is working out. If their heart stops, there's no one to use the AED. The gym is a 2-3 minute sprint from the entry kiosk if someone phones to have that officer deliver one. The gym, in fact, can be accessed more quickly form the kiosks then, say units floors 18-25.