We all know that AED units save lives. We all know that time is of the essence. So, how often are AEDs used during a rescue? A new study out of England suggests that AED units are only retrieved and applied to victims before EMS arrives 1.74% of the time, a rate, according to the authors, as “disappointingly low.”

In a separate study, out of Canada, researchers identify that less than 1 in 4 cardiac arrest victims had an AED within 100 meters of the sudden cardiac arrest incident. The average, according to this 5-year study, indicates that AEDs were available, on average, within 300 meters.

What do a “disappointingly low” deployment of AEDs during a rescue and AEDs located too far from victims have in common? The fact that they both offer evidence that we need more AEDs in communities around the world!