Well it's about time DHHS put a price on the human life. I hope Cathy or Rick isn't around me and go into cardiac arrest. I'd just ignore them and say I was worried abut getting sued. After all, $2000 is a high price to pay for a human life. Check with someone sometime who has "coded" and been brought back to life by a difibrulator and see what price they would put on a life. What it boils down is if you are old, you are not worth saving. You are a burden to DHHS becuse they have to take care of those in assisted living. Now. Are there defibrullators in DHHS offices? Are there defibrullators in the state house? I bet there are at the taxpayers expense.

The old geezers would just use it on each other to break up the monatany anyway

DHHS should not be giving any advice on medical equipment. That would be like Baldnazi giving financial advice. The panel should consist of the appropriate medical personnel not lawyers and DHHS reps.

RickyG said it all. It doesn't matter unless it's your Grandmother or Father's whose life can be saved. Every one is suppose to have a living will. For those who do not want to be resuscitated, it's stated in their Living Will. No way I'm ending up in any nursing home anyhow - I'll crawl off in the woods first, before I end up in some place where I have to rely on someone who is getting a salary to take care of me. I'd rather die staring up at the sky, with the scent of the forest floor and the songs of the birds around me.

WOW what a bunch of morons that dont have a clue, apperantly the staff doesnt have to be CPR trained eithier becuase the use of the defibrillator is built into the same to class, also for anyone that has used an AED or knows anything them they would understand that they are impossible to miss use them. Another thing like eveningrain said in order for a DNR to be valiad all the proper paperwork must be in place and be present and if the paperwork isn't present then the best resuscitation efforts should be executed (in a nursing, home yea right) intill the proper paperwork is in hand. But we all know that the right thing is never going to happen in a nursing home because the right thing requires people to work

The high rate of staff turnover!!! OK what a pisspoor excuse...the head nurses on each shift, do not change that frequently...It is the CNA that is usually changed out every two or three months. There are also ON CALL doctors available. I hope that NO ONE on that commitee ever has the need for one of these defibrilators. I might just lose my hearing or sight and not be able to function the machine properly. SO Sorry, I'm NOT TRAINED so therefore I can't use it. Even with exact directions from the machine.

BTW do we have a list of those named to this Committee? I'd also like to see the vote so I know who actually gives a damn and who doesn't.

Having theres devices in these facilities would also be a safey measure for any family or friends visiting the patients and possibly needing life saving measures....despite any "staff turnover" the working staff should readily know who is to be resuscitated and who is not to be....

I agree with RickyG it is absolutely outrageous that the State of Maine has no regard for the elderly in Maine. Like once you are no longer able to work or pay taxes they don't care what happens to you, and will not try to save you . Howver, we don't mind paying for all those young people who keep having babies and are too lazy to go out and work, and expect to stay home and get everything paid for. I am sick and tired of my hard earned money going to take care of all those younger people who do nothing but sprout out more kids so then can get more money. If they are healthy enough they shoud be out there working, supporting themselves, and one othere thing. If you can't afford to take care of kids, don't have them. Birth control is cheap. Come on wake up, take care of our sick and elderly, most of them worked hard all their lives, raised families and paid taxes. Let's take care of them in there so called (GOLDEN YEARS)

How unbelievable that in such an advanced country like the USA there should be any reluctance with regard to the introduction and use of AEDs. They are a proven lifesaver. Here in the UK we have them in many police cars, fire engines, ambulance first responders, at airports, bus and rail stations, shopping malls. I've seen then in the public areas at Philadelphia International Airport while enroute to BIA from the UK.

I'm a Ranger with the Peak District National Park and we've all been trained and equipped in their use at our Ranger bases which are visited by 1000s of members of the public, and we've used them in cardiac arrest situations in some real remote locations. I've never heard of any successful lawsuit connected with their use, but I am well aware of the sad and fatal consequences of doing nothing in a cardiac arrest situation. The CPR skills that go with being proficient in AED use could just as easily used on any close friend or family member in a life-threatening incident.

It would be most interesting to hear a view on this from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the American Medical Association, Maine Search & Rescue Association and local fire and ambulance departments.

Bureaucrats and administrators wake up and realise the effect of what you're proposing - this could cost some lives - hopefully not someone's you know and love!

Best Wishes from a Maine and US admirer here in the UK.

Don Buxton, Rotherham, UK

WHY IS IT THAT THESE DEVICES CAN BE IN SCHOOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES , BUT NOT IN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES ???? AREN'T OUR HANDICAPED OR ELDERLY WORTH SAVING ? I WOULD THINK THE OWNERS OF THESE HOMES WOULD WANT THEM. WITH THE PRICES THEY CHARGE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THESE HOMES THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORT ONE. OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS A LIST OF OTHERS WAITING TO GET IN WHEN SOMEONE DIES , SO MAYBE THEY DON'T CARE IF A LIFE IS SAVED. THEY WOULD HAVE A LIST OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE A 'DO NOT RESUSITATE' ON FILE.

IS THERE ALWAYS A PERSON ON DUTY IN SCHOOLS THAT ARE TRAINED TO OPERATE THESE DEVICES ?

SEEMS TO ME THAT IT ISN'T TOO MUCH TO ASK THAT ONE PERSON ON EACH SHIFT WOULD KNOW HOW TO USE THESE.

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE IT LYING AROUND FOR VISITORS OR PATIENTS TO USE IT ON PEOPLE.

I HOPE THESE BUREUCRATS WHO VOTE AGAINST THESE DEVICES DON'T EVER NEED TO HAVE ONE USED ON THEM AND REALIZE NONE ARE AVAILABLE. MAYBE THEY WOULD WISH THEY'D AGREED THEY WERE NEEDED.

Well hopefully the committees understand that automatic external defibrillators WILL NOT start a heart that has stopped beating, in fact they won't even deliver a jolt. They are meant to take a heart that is beating in an abnormal rhythm and shock it to momentarily stop the heart and allow it to start again with a normal rhythm.

Cathy and Rick: May you never have a loved one in need of this valuable machine. All necessary paper work must be filled out upon entering any of these

facilities. If a resident is DNR, or if they choose to be so, that is "always" documented. Who gives "you" the right to choose? These machines give audio

instructions that even "YOU" could follow. Take my taxes and use it for those who have worked and paid their dues.

Just remember Cathy Cobb, and Rick Erb: "What goes around, comes around".

again some un-educated committee makes a medical decision.I guess the consider these people warehosed in assisted living programs not worth the extra benifit of such a life saving device.What about the people that work or visit these facilities ???

It appears the DHHS has caved to lobbying by the owners of the facilities. To even think for a minute about withholding First Aid to all residents because some have DNRs? An embarrassingly lame excuse.

This is a joke right? Remind me never to go into assisted living in the State of Maine or recommend anyone that I really care about to either. What about those who DO want to be revived! Having basic CPR certification usually covers training for using the AED in the same course , so the staff members would NOT require extra costly training.

We need to save money on healthcare costs anyway right? Let them die, instead of potentially costing years worth of costly medical bills.. :O

Really though, how long does it take to look ones living will up in an emergency? What are the chances of one finding out the information in an emergency? Should every staff member remember everyone's living will requests?

Wow! As an ER Doc I honestly had to read this article twice! Just who are these people who pretend to represent us the taxpayer and the patient? It's just such typical lawyer mentality that allows "risk" to drive "patient care" decisions. We need to know what medical evidence-base and medical testimony was used in this issue. If not this could imply they're negligent in reviewing this issue. I sincerely hope they never need an AED for their loved ones. Tell the local squad they can't use an AED at their home on a loved one and see what their reaction is then! We need to know who the people are on this sad committee and get them to publically explain and justify this to the public, patients and taxpayers.

You so-called lawmakers have to learn to care much much more about people if you want to practice medicine. Shame on any nursing home who does not have a defib. Get one despite the lawyers, it's the first 4-minutes that make the most difference in cardiac arrests and the local squad rarely can get there that fast. If we follow the logic of these lawyers we should shut down ER's in case there's a risk of a lawsuit. Lawyers need to get out and stay out of medical care decisions - and fast !!!!!!

Just in case anyone needs any convincing of how so simple and easy these AEDs are to use, just check out this US video weblink - http://video.aol.com/video-detail/project-aed-learn-to-use-an-aed/360288008026376287

Best Wishes from a Maine and US admirer in the UK.

Don Buxton, Rotherham, UK