Improving Bystander Response: How Long Does It Take to Retrieve an AED From Varying Distances

Barriers to mobility, like traffic lights, motor vehicles, weather conditions, and pedestrians, have significant impacts on how long it takes for an AED to be retrieved and returned to the patient's side. Using these simulation runs, we demonstrated that short AED retrieval distances are likely necessary to impact survival. When compared to our national EMS first response times, only the 200/400 m retrieval distance would likely provide sufficient time for a responder to retrieve, arrive at the patient's side and utilize an AED prior to EMS arrival.