AMR and county health department expand public AED and stop-the-bleed placements across Josephine County

American Medical Response, in partnership with the Josephine County Department of Health, announced on June 3 that it will place six public-access emergency resources across the county, including automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and stop-the-bleed kits.

Dave Matthews, operations manager for American Medical Response, told the Board of Commissioners the deployment includes two placements in rural areas, two in local schools and two at faith-based organizations, and said the project builds on an existing county program. "By placing these resources directly into the community, this program empowers everyday citizens to act quickly during emergencies," Matthews said.

Matthews cited national figures to explain the urgency: more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals annually and, he said, "when an AED is used within the first few minutes, survival rates increase up to 70%." He added that uncontrolled bleeding can cause death within three to five minutes without intervention and argued stop-the-bleed kits help bystanders provide immediate care before first responders arrive.

According to Matthews, the AEDs were provided by Global Medical Response and the stop-the-bleed kits were supplied by the Josephine County Department of Health. He thanked local residents for participating in and supporting the program.

Why it matters: Increasing public access to AEDs and bleeding-control supplies can shorten time to bystander intervention in cardiac and trauma emergencies, which the presenters said improves the chances of survival. The program emphasizes placements in rural locations and schools where emergency medical response times can be longer.

What happens next: Matthews did not specify exact installation dates for each site during his remarks. Commissioners thanked AMR for the expansion and for partnering with county public health.