title: Installation of multiple automated external defibrillators to prevent sudden death in school-aged children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, a student died of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation in a school where an automated external defibrillator (AED) had been installed. The tragedy could not be prevented because the only AED in the school was installed in the teachers' office, far from the school ground where the accident took place. This prompted establishment of a multiple AED system in schools. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of the multiple AED system to prevent sudden death in school-aged children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assumed accident sites consisted of the school ground, gymnasium, Judo and Kendo hall, swimming pool, and classrooms on the first and the fourth floor. Multiple AED were installed in the teachers' office, gymnasium, some classrooms, and also provided as a portable AED in a rucksack. The time from the accident site to the teachers' office for single AED, and from the accident site to the nearest AED for multiple AED, was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AED retrieval time was significantly shorter in 55 elementary schools and in 29 junior high schools when multiple AED were installed compared with single AED. Except for the classroom on the fourth floor, the number of people who took >120 s to bring the AED to the accident site was lower when multiple AED were installed compared with the single AED.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple AED provided in appropriate sites can reduce the time to reach the casualty and hence prevent sudden death in school-aged children.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.|Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Children's Medical Center, Ehime University Hospital, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Higaki
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Toshiyuki
authors: T
authors: Chisaka
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.|Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Children's Medical Center, Ehime University Hospital, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Tomozo
authors: T
authors: Moritani
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Masaaki
authors: M
authors: Ohta
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Hidemi
authors: H
authors: Takata
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Toshifumi
authors: T
authors: Yamauchi
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Youhei
authors: Y
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: Division of Pediatrics, Ehime Prefecture Central Hospital, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Kyoko
authors: K
authors: Konishi
authors: Division of Pediatrics, Matsuyama Shimin Hospital, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Eiichi
authors: E
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Fumihiro
authors: F
authors: Ochi
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Mariko
authors: M
authors: Eguchi
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Minenori
authors: M
authors: Eguchi-Ishimae
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
authors: Yoshihide
authors: Y
authors: Mitani
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Eiichi
authors: E
authors: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000517:prevention & control*; D047548:Defibrillators; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: automated external defibrillator; proper installation; school age; sudden cardiac death