How did volunteers know when a cardiac arrest had occurred in their facility?
One of the most important tasks of the study was to tailor effective response plans for each facility using the resources available to them. In some cases facilities invested in additional equipment such as two-way radios or other communications infrastructure. For a response system to be effective when an arrest occurs, trained volunteers must: 1. Be available; 2. Be promptly notified about the event, and 3. Respond quickly (e.g. within approximately 3 minutes) to the victim’s side. Study Coordinators spent considerable time with unit personnel to develop their response plans. Instructions were provided to employees and, where possible, customers, clients, visitors, etc., about how activate the response system. In addition to trained volunteers, designees were appointed to notify Emergency Medical Services personnel, meet them at a pre-arranged location and guide them to the victim. Mock cardiac arrests were staged to evaluate how well the system worked and whether any elements needed
