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Generate Support
By the time your committee has met the
third time you will know more about AEDs than almost everyone else in your
facility. If you plan to implement a true public access defibrillation
program you will need the support of the community. If you are starting a
program for just your facility, you will need the support of others within
that facility. Public awareness and education are the key. People fear
what they don’t understand. Thus, your job is to familiarize people with
what AEDs are, how simple they are to use, and how important they are in
treating cardiac arrest. Depending on how wide an audience you are asking
for support, consider the following.
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Newsletters
outlining what you hope to accomplish
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Payroll stuffers
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Newspaper articles on the
need for and simplicity of AEDs
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Speaking engagements with
various civic organizations or employee groups
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Radio spots on the nature of
cardiac arrest and the need for AEDs
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Signs and banners posted in
high traffic areas
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Meetings to which the public
(or your employees) are invited to ask questions and have the program
explained. As you begin your PR campaign, you will likely be exposed to
the common questions and objections people have to the program you are
proposing. Be sure to address these issues head-on in any meetings you
hold.
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Email messages broadcast
throughout your facility.
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Pamphlets in a Q&A format
listing the most common questions and their answers.
Generally, you will
find that there is not much resistance to AED programs and as people learn
more about them, they become ardent supporters. If you have done your job
well, questions will shift from whether they are needed or not to where
the money is going to come from to purchase them.
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