AED program history

In 1998, the Washington State Legislature enacted a specific law (RCW 70.54.310) to facilitate implementation compliance of a citizen defibrillation program. In 2024, the Washington State Legislature enhanced this law by requiring Fitness Centers to acquire and maintain AEDs on their premises (RCW 70.54.315). Public Health – Seattle & King County, EMS Division in partnership with Seattle/King County fire departments has established a Community Responder CPR-AED Program to assist individuals and businesses in developing an AED program.

The Community Responder CPR/AED Program plays a very important role in early response to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). It increases placement of public access defibrillators in the community, increases awareness of AED locations, and improves cardiac care response. The participation and response by the community to Sudden Cardiac Arrest has contributed to King County having one of the highest survival rates for SCA in the world.

Public Health — Seattle & King County, Emergency Medical Services Division supports Community Responder CPR/AED programs through various programming and funding opportunities, which encourage and facilitate:

• Placement of AEDs in public areas such as county facilities, community centers, parks, and law enforcement vehicles
• Training of CPR and AED use to city and county employees and school districts
• Registration of all community AEDs in King County
• Reporting of all AED data in the event of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest

With increased technology resources, the role of the Community Responder continues to evolve. Mobile apps such as Pulse Point AED can report AEDs in the community and users of Pulse Point Respond can receive alerts to sudden cardiac arrest in their vicinity, so they can start CPR before first responders arrive. King County EMS continues to explore how these advances can benefit King County residents and increase SCA survival rates in our community.