User agreement and Washington state AED legislation

The purpose of having a user agreement is to inform the owner/user/acquirer of an automated external defibrillator (AED) of Washington state requirements as defined in RCW 70.54.310.

Washington state RCW 70.54.310

A 1998 Washington state law was enacted to promote implementation of a citizen defibrillation program by outlining acceptable practices and to protect medical directors and other program participants from civil liability in the use of an AED in an emergency setting. In addition, the legislation protects lay responders using a defibrillator in an emergency setting if that individual is acting as a Good Samaritan under RCW 4.24.300. In response, the Public Health EMS Division in partnership with the Seattle Fire Department and fire departments in King County developed the Community AED Program to reduce the time to defibrillation by having community members use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) before EMS arrives.

The King County EMS CPR/AED Program supports persons and organizations interested in acquiring an AED or establishing a CPR/AED program. In addition to providing educational and technical support, King County EMS helps AED owners meet the medical direction and registration requirements of RCW 70.54.310 through the availability of medical direction and a county-wide AED registry.

Medical Direction

The role of the Medical Director is to provide medical leadership, ensure the program is medically sound, oversee medical care that is rendered through the program, ensure skill maintenance, and assume responsibility for the clinical conduct and operation of the program.

Medical direction is required of any person or entity with an AED (RCW 70.54.310 (c)

Options for medical direction:

1. Medical Direction can be provided by the Seattle Fire Department or King County EMS Medical Director, or:
2. An owner/acquirer may choose their own medical director.

AED notifications

Registration:

The purpose of AED registration is to provide AED location information to 911 dispatch centers. When a caller reports an emergency, 911 will direct callers to the nearest AED. For this reason, it is important that AED owners keep their registration information up to date.

The King County AED registry is maintained by King County EMS. Registration is fast and simple, and plays an important role in the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Chain of Survival, by helping bystanders find and use an AED quickly in an emergency.

AED registry mobile apps are currently on the market and provide an additional way to share the location of an AED. However, if an AED owner provides AED information to an AED mobile app, they must ALSO register the AED with King County.

After use of a defibrillator:

When a defibrillator is used, regardless of whether a shock was administered, the user is required to contact King County EMS as soon as possible.  This is an important step and improves patient care and systemic quality improvement.

After an AED is used, notify EMS by calling 206-296-4693 (leave a message if you get voice mail) or emailing aed@kingcounty.gov.  King County EMS will arrange to come to your site and download the necessary information from the device.