Many EPRIB's have an IR link to the ships GPS--this is a soft connection--not a cable which must be unscrewed. The EPIRB has an internal GPS, which takes 15 minutes for a cold start fix, whereas if it had been hooked up to the GPS, the initial pass of the Satellite would pick up a fix very close to final location when SAR arrives. If you are to have an EPRIB, it pays to spend a few extra dollars and get the GPS enabled unit. This will bring the search down to one square mile vs 100 sq miles without the GPS.
The AED should be operated by a person who is certified in both AED and CPR--this requires yearly recertification. The AED is best used in public places and by very first responders. If shock is given within the first minute there is a 90% survival rate--if it is 3 minutes this drops to about 25% survival--so time is really of the essence. Putting AED's in ampulances for shock when the unit arrived made little difference--because that golden time had elapsed. The AED is designed for very specific arrythmias--primarly ventricular tachycardia. It is of no value in other arrythmias or in asystole. I carried an AED in my medical pack for 6 years, many hundreds of thousands of travel miles and exposed to millions of people in arenas and stadiums when I was director of athletic Medicine of a university. During this time I did not require the use of an AED once. However, if a physician was in attendance at an athletic event and didn't have an AED and know how to use it (Like the Hank Gathers situation) there would be negulance.
I have done successful CRP twice on boats--where an AED would not have been useful. I have also been called to evaluate 4 other deaths either on boats on airplanes. In each of these cases, people knew that there might be something wrong with the victum, but did not call for help. My EPRIB's cost $500 each--the cheapest AED is $900. Maybe next year I'll get an AED--but remember you cannot use it on your self! So your partner (all people aboard really) should be CPR and AED certified. So...If you are willing to be CPR and AED certified yearly, and would be willing to run down the dock with your AED if there is an emergency at the yacht club--then it would be worth while getting one. Is the usefulness of and AED overblown--not necessarilly--if you can get to the victum and respond appropiately in the first minute.
The AED should be operated by a person who is certified in both AED and CPR--this requires yearly recertification. The AED is best used in public places and by very first responders. If shock is given within the first minute there is a 90% survival rate--if it is 3 minutes this drops to about 25% survival--so time is really of the essence. Putting AED's in ampulances for shock when the unit arrived made little difference--because that golden time had elapsed. The AED is designed for very specific arrythmias--primarly ventricular tachycardia. It is of no value in other arrythmias or in asystole. I carried an AED in my medical pack for 6 years, many hundreds of thousands of travel miles and exposed to millions of people in arenas and stadiums when I was director of athletic Medicine of a university. During this time I did not require the use of an AED once. However, if a physician was in attendance at an athletic event and didn't have an AED and know how to use it (Like the Hank Gathers situation) there would be negulance.
I have done successful CRP twice on boats--where an AED would not have been useful. I have also been called to evaluate 4 other deaths either on boats on airplanes. In each of these cases, people knew that there might be something wrong with the victum, but did not call for help. My EPRIB's cost $500 each--the cheapest AED is $900. Maybe next year I'll get an AED--but remember you cannot use it on your self! So your partner (all people aboard really) should be CPR and AED certified. So...If you are willing to be CPR and AED certified yearly, and would be willing to run down the dock with your AED if there is an emergency at the yacht club--then it would be worth while getting one. Is the usefulness of and AED overblown--not necessarilly--if you can get to the victum and respond appropiately in the first minute.