A safe sports environment starts with an AED
68% of Dutch sports clubs have an AED. Why accessibility and registration matter just as much.
In the Netherlands, 17,000 people suffer cardiac arrest every year. When 112 is called, an ambulance arrives within 15 minutes on average. In cardiac arrest that is often too late: acting within 6 minutes gives the best chance of survival. That is why it is important to have enough Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) nearby, that they are always accessible, and that everyone in the area knows where they are.
AEDs at sports clubs
Sports clubs are often centrally located in a neighbourhood, and most residents know how to find them. The Mulier Institute therefore surveyed sports clubs in the Netherlands. It found that 68% of clubs have an AED available. Reasons clubs give for not having one: it is considered too expensive, or there is already an AED nearby. Besides funding, a lack of people who can use an AED is also a barrier.
Registering an AED with HartslagNu
AEDs can be registered with HartslagNu, so anyone can see in an app where the nearest AED is. A large majority (69%) do not know whether their AED is registered, which probably means it is not. Besides knowing where the AED is, its exact location is vital. Too often (69%) the AED is kept indoors. It is then only accessible when the facility is open, which is not 24/7.
A safe sports environment
Most sports clubs have an AED, but this number can still rise. Raising awareness of the risk of cardiac arrest, including among young athletes, helps. There is also much to gain in registration and in where the AED is placed: preferably outside and not behind the fence, so it is accessible to everyone 24/7.
To remove the barriers identified in the research, clubs can look for help with funding, for example from sponsors or the municipality. It is also good to explain regularly how to use an AED, so more people can start resuscitation. A safe sports environment starts with an AED.
