Andover, Mass., USA - Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) announced today that six U.S. law enforcement agencies have acquired its HeartStart FRx Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for their officers to use in vehicles, enabling them to assist victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, claiming approximately 295,000[i] lives each year.

Since officers are often first to arrive at the scene of a cardiac emergency, it is crucial to have immediate access to an AED in the event the victim is experiencing SCA. Defibrillation is recognized as the definitive treatment for ventricular fibrillation, the abnormal heart rhythm most often associated with SCA.[ii] While CPR may help prolong the window of survival, it cannot restore a normal cardiac rhythm.[iii] For every minute that goes by without defibrillation, a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival decreases by about 10 percent.[iv] After 10 minutes without defibrillation, few attempts at resuscitation are successful.[v]

The six law enforcement agencies that recently acquired HeartStart Defibrillators include Milwaukee and New Berlin, Wis.; Manatee, Fla.; Bellevue and Kent, Wash.; and Dunwoody, Ga. The New Berlin Police Department and Manatee County Sheriff's Office secured funding for in-vehicle implementations at the end of 2009 and chose HeartStart AEDs based on positive feedback from their local EMS departments. While several of the communities already had AEDs in law enforcement buildings, officers were not equipped with AEDs in their vehicles.
According to Milwaukee Police Chief Edward A. Flynn, "Our mission is to prevent the loss of life and because we are often the first to arrive at emergencies-including medical emergencies-our ability to take lifesaving action is vital. Having AEDs in our vehicles will enhance the service our police officers can provide to the community."

Bob Lundsten, who knows all too well the power of AEDs after nearly losing his wife to SCA, made it his mission to get AEDs into his newly incorporated City of Dunwoody. He founded a non-profit organization and with massive community support, rallied the community to raise enough funds to purchase 53 Philips HeartStart FRx AEDs. In less than six months time, all Dunwoody police vehicles and several high-risk areas within the police department and courthouse were equipped to respond to a cardiac emergency. To build off of the police force preparedness, the Dunwoody 911 protocol was revised to include police on the first responder dispatch for emergencies involving collapse.

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