What is a “standby”, and do I need one?
Standby is the process in which cryonics personnel are deployed and waiting near the bedside of a patient at serious risk of death. The purpose of Standby and a Standby Team is to take prompt action to restore blood circulation, administer protective medications, and start rapid cooling when the heart stops beating. This is critically important to achieve a good cryopreservation. Alcor attempts to provide Standby when needed to all members in the U.S. and Canada through its Comprehensive Member Standby Program. Standby is a necessary part of cryonics because the purpose of cryonics is to stop the dying process as soon as possible. This cannot be done if clinical death is unattended, and procedures don’t begin until hours later. Sometimes delays are unavoidable, and Alcor will still perform cryopreservations under poor conditions if necessary. There is evidence that brain cell structure persists for several hours after unattended clinical death. However, freezing damage can be substanti
