Machines that "jump-start the heart" are now required at new facilities that can hold 300 or more people in unincorporated Fulton County.

The Board of Commissioners approved a resolution co-sponsored by Commission Chair Karen Handel and District 4 Commissioner Tom Lowe that mandate the placement of automated external defibrillators (AED's) at new buildings in unincorporated Fulton County. The Board also encouraged other County municipalities to install AED's at their respective facilities.

Defibrillators are computerized electrical devices used to restore a normal heartbeat to victims of cardiac arrest.

Last year, a volunteer with the Fulton County Department of Parks and Recreation used a defibrillator at North Fulton's Ocee Park and saved the life of a coach who suffered a heart attack at the recreational facility.� Firefighters at Fulton County Fire Station No. 14 in Roswell recently used a defibrillator on their fire captain and restored his heartbeat in less than two minutes.

"Installing automated external defibrillators in new county buildings is a strong first step in bolstering public safety," said Handel. "Through this program, Fulton County is leading the way in using available technology to save lives.� Receiving help in the first minutes after a heart attack is critical and the AED's will provide that immediate first response."

This resolution is significant because it requires all new public and private buildings constructed in unincorporated Fulton that can accommodate 300 or more people to have defibrillators on-site, stated Commissioner Lowe. "We must be proactive in doing what we can to prevent a catastrophic situation. We owe it to the taxpayers of Fulton County to have safe facilities."�

The Fulton County Fire Department will inspect the installation of AED's at new sites in unincorporated Fulton. For more information, call 404-505-5700.