As AED awareness becomes more prominent, it can sometimes be hard to remember that not everyone is up to speed. In fact, a recent article explains how a Japanese man was branded a “pervert” when using an AED on a woman who was in a car accident a few years ago.
Although his quick thinking and action saved the woman, this didn’t stop the driver from calling the authorities when the good samaritan cut open the shirt of the unconscious woman to apply the electrodes to her bare skin, as one should in order to use an AED properly.
This raises the question: Is the public as informed about AEDs as they should be?
It’s all good to have AEDs in public places for the public to use when needed, but what good is it when the public doesn’t know how to use it or if it attempts to shame those who use it in a way that could discourage others from jumping in when needed?
Luckily, in this case, the man was cleared of any wrongdoing once investigators determined that he had done only what was necessary to save the woman’s life.
In fact, it would later be revealed that had he not taken action, the woman almost certainly would not have survived.
While this event occurred in Japan, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that it could also occur here in the United States, or in fact in any part of the world.
AED awareness means more than just knowing how to save a life. It means making these life saving procedures common knowledge so that good samaritans don’t have to worry about being accused of wrongdoing while saving someone’s life.
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