When a sudden cardiac arrest happens, every second matters. An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is designed to give everyday people a chance to save a life before emergency responders arrive. In workplaces, schools, gyms, and public facilities, AEDs have become one of the most important pieces of safety equipment a business can invest in.
“Safety doesn’t really take a day off,” Adam Huntley, First Aid Sales Manager at CITY First Aid and Safety, shared. “Nothing makes me feel better than working with a customer, developing a safety program, implementing it, and then being able to kind of stand back and look and be like, ‘Hey, they’re covered. I know they’re good to go now, no matter what they’re going to run into.’”
At CITY First Aid and Safety Supplies, AEDs are more than just another product on the wall. They are life-saving devices that can make the difference between life and death in a cardiac emergency.
An AED, or Automated External Defibrillator, is a portable medical device designed to analyze a person’s heart rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electric shock to help restore a normal heartbeat.
AEDs are specifically built to be simple and user-friendly. Most devices provide step-by-step voice prompts that guide users through the entire process, making them accessible even for people without medical training.
When someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping blood effectively. Without quick intervention, survival rates drop rapidly with every passing minute. CPR helps keep blood flowing, while an AED can help restart the heart’s normal rhythm.
AEDs are designed to remove guesswork during high-stress situations. Here’s how the process typically works:
1. The AED Is Turned On
Once activated, the device immediately begins giving verbal instructions.
2. Pads Are Applied
Adhesive electrode pads are placed on the person’s chest. The AED diagrams show exactly where they go.
3. The AED Analyzes the Heart Rhythm
The machine checks whether a shock is needed. Importantly, the AED will not allow a shock unless it detects a shockable rhythm.
4. A Shock Is Delivered if Needed
If the device determines a shock is necessary, it instructs everyone to stand clear before delivering the electrical pulse.
5. CPR Continues
After the shock, responders continue CPR while the AED keeps monitoring the patient.
Katie Hall, who oversees CITY First Aid and Safety service, said education around AEDs is just as important as having the device itself.
“Sometimes there are new hires. Sometimes there are people who maybe didn’t pay attention to the first aid tour because they’re thinking about all these other things,” Katie shared. “So you being like, ‘Yeah, this is the AED,’ and explaining where it is and how to use it makes people more knowledgeable about the product you’re servicing them with.”
Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere — even in workplaces that may not seem high-risk.
An AED dramatically improves survival chances when used quickly alongside CPR. According to the American Heart Association, immediate CPR and AED use can double or even triple survival rates.
Katie has seen firsthand how critical these devices can be.
“I offer an AED to everyone, and I believe everyone should have an AED,” Katie shared. “I’ve had someone buy an AED from me, and it literally saved a guy’s life. And I’ve had someone say, ‘No, we’re not going to pull the trigger on that yet,’ and they had their top salesman die. That’s crazy.”
For CITY customers, having an AED available provides more than compliance or peace of mind. It provides preparedness.
“You don’t know what you need out of the first aid kit until something happens,” Katie explained. “Knowing what’s behind that closed door and knowing that I’ve got you — that matters.”
At CITY First Aid and Safety, AEDs are often integrated into larger workplace safety programs that include first aid cabinets, eyewash stations, PPE, and employee training.
Adam said customization is key because every facility is different.
“When I go into a customer, my approach is always customize everything,” Adam shared. “What do you currently have? What do you do? What are your needs? From there, we can develop the right products, frequency, and program for them.”
That approach helps businesses ensure their teams are prepared for real emergencies — not just checking a compliance box.
In an emergency, there’s no time to wonder where equipment is located or whether it works. AED readiness includes proper placement, routine maintenance, fresh batteries and pads, and making sure employees know where devices are located.
That’s why ongoing service matters.
“Good service is really doing what’s best for the customer, period,” Katie shared. “We are providing items that can save your life. Keeping that healthy respect for what we do only pushes good service.”
At the end of the day, AEDs are about protecting people. Whether it’s a manufacturing plant, school, warehouse, office, or gym, having an AED onsite can give someone a second chance at life.
And for Adam, that’s what makes the work meaningful.
“My job is to create value where someone looks at that first aid kit on the wall, knows they’re prepared, but also knows that they’re getting great service and great value,” Adam shared.