Simulating Public Buses as a Mobile Platform for Deployment of Publicly Accessible Automated External Defibrillators

AbstractIntroduction: Public access defibrillation (PAD) programs seek to optimize locations of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to minimize the time from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) recognition to defibrillation. Most PAD programs have focused on static AED (S-AED) locations in high traffic areas; pervasive electronic data infrastructure incorporating real-time geospatial data opens the possibility for AED deployment on mobile infrastructure for retrieval by nearby non-passengers. Performance characteristics of such systems are not known.
Hypothesis: We hypothesized that publicly accessible AEDs located on buses would increase publicly accessible AED coverage and reduce AED retrieval time relative to statically located AEDs.
Methods: S-AED sites in Pittsburgh, PA were identified and consolidated to 1 AED per building for analysis (n = 582). Public bus routes and schedules were obtained from the Port Authority of Allegheny County. OHCA locations and times were obtained from the Pittsburg...