ELLICOTT CITY — Each year hundreds of thousands of people go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting.
Many of them die before they can get to the ER.
However, having an AED nearby can increase your chances of survival.
And just recently, Howard County installed 17 of them at county parks.
Dr. Matthew Levy is the Medical Director for Howard County.
He says when someone has a cardiac arrest, it's crucial someone reacts quickly.
He gave WMAR- 2 News a live demo of how to use an AED at Meadowbrook Park in Ellicott City.
When you grab an AED from the park, an alarm will go off.
That will alert first responders to come to the park.
Having access to an AED before first responders arrive is sometimes the difference between life or death.
Research shows the the majority of people in the U.S. do not know how to use one.
The Howard County Police Department and park rangers have access to AED's as well.
