How to choose the right AED cabinet for my indoor/outdoor location

Automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) work by shocking the heart so that it can return to it’s natural rhythm when someone is suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). They are great medical tools that make the difference between life and death when used straight away and are kept in schools, offices, supermarkets and sports ground across the country.

With a variety of AED’s on the market, all offering something different it can be challenging deciding which one is the best to opt for. Once you have made that decision however, it is also important to consider which AED cabinet is ideal for your new defibrillator to be stored in in order for it to be kept safe and easily accessible.

Firstly, it is important to consider your location, if you have a defibrillator in your workplace (in an office for example), it is important for it to be kept somewhere that all staff frequent and can easily get to such as in the entrance corridor or canteen on the wall. Conversely, if you have a defibrillator at your local football pitch it would be accessed more easily outside. These are factors to consider as the sooner an AED is used in an emergency, the higher the chance of survival. Not having an AED located in a well known, suitable place could be very detrimental to giving emergency care.

If someone suffers from a SCA, prompt action needs to be taken and this may happen to be by passersby, in the event of this happening, public AED’s are great. However, there is the question regarding whether they should be locked or not. Cabinets for public access defibrillators are placed in prominent public locations with appropriate signage so that they can be easily seen. There are different options available when it comes to locked or unlocked AED cabinets with some locked cabinets having a numerical code to unlock the door which is given by the ambulance service when 999 is called with some being unlocked remotely by the ambulance service.

The advantages of an unlocked AED cabinet mean that the defibrillator inside can be used quicker however, concerns surrounding unlocked cabinets mean that AED’s may be tampered with or stolen. Evidence suggests however that cases of vandalism or theft are low regarding AED’s and their cabinet, with the general consensus being that defibrillators should be placed somewhere that is easily accessed in an unlocked cabinet.

AED cabinets are an extremely important factor to consider when buying an AED as they need to be seen and easily located in order for them to be as effective as possible. A pointer to remember when considering an AED cabinet is lighting - if you defibrillator is placed outside will it be easily seen in the dark? Luckily, most external AED cabinets come complete with lighting so can be seen in the evening however, some cabinets only have internal lighting so be sure to check.

The colour of your AED cabinet is also very important, they are typically green or high viz yellow but, are also available in different colours, the important thing to remember is that they should be easily visible and stand out regardless of whether your AED is stored inside or out.

The construction and materials used in your AED cabinet are also important to take note of. If your AED cabinet is going to be stored outside, it needs to be able to protect the defibrillator from adverse weather conditions such as heavy wind and rain. AED cabinets that are constructed of stainless steel are usually more expensive but, are very strong and durable. Plastic AED cabinets however are great for use indoors as they are lighter whilst still remaining strong and durable.

Of course safety is always important to remember and with many AED cabinets boasting a range of security features such as locks and alarms it can be overwhelming deciding which cabinet to go for if security is your main priority.

Opting for an AED cabinet that has an alarm is a huge deterrent for theft and tampering whilst also alerting others to the emergency occurring. In areas where it is felt that an AED needs to be in a lockable cabinet, your local ambulance service can be called to unlock them with digital keypad codes being a more favourable option compared to a key locking cabinets which may be fiddly and time consuming to open.

It is great that you have opted to buy an AED but also vitally important to keep it safe and easily accessed. With this, remember when looking for an AED cabinet that it needs to be clearly seen, made of strong, appropriate materials and can be opened quickly.