Cars in Hangzhou with this label are equipped with a portable AED inside.
Society
By Qiu Yueyue
Last May, a young man from Jiangsu's Wuxi named Song Le gained a reputation as a walking AED. Recently, he appeared in Hangzhou and was no longer alone as he joined a volunteer team named "Pocket First Aid Hero".
"My individual power is limited, but when I am with like-minded people, our collective strength grows," said Song.
In January this year, Tmall Health, Wevivid Medical Technology, Ali Public Welfare, and Ali Health jointly launched this "Pocket First Aid Hero" public welfare campaign, advocating for "Breaking Windows for Cardiac First Aid". Ten volunteers from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other regions responded to the call and formed the first batch of "Pocket First Aid Hero" fleet, led by Song as the team captain.
These volunteers have not only the necessary qualifications, but also extensive first aid experience, and each of their vehicles is equipped with a portable AED device.
On Jan 15, the fleet officially took off in Hangzhou.
To distinguish them from regular vehicles, each of the cars is labeled with the conspicuous phrase "Break Window for Cardiac First Aid" on its body. In the event of an emergency where the vehicle owner is absent, experienced passersby are able to break the window and retrieve the AED from inside the car.
"The more AEDs there are in society, the greater the chance of saving a patient experiencing sudden cardiac arrest," said Song, "When faced with an emergency, many people are unsure or afraid to use an AED. I hope that AED usage and cardiopulmonary resuscitation knowledge can be included in textbooks and classrooms so that everyone can utilize them."
Having AEDs in vehicles is just the beginning. All volunteers and advocates hope that AEDs can reach homes because 80% of cardiac arrests occur in residential settings. The reach of emergency response should extend to these more enclosed and intricate environments, which is an aim hardly attainable given the current lower-than-expected prevalence of AEDs in public places. However, as the "Pocket First Aid Hero" sets off, the power to safeguard lives has gained another boost.