Overview
An owner of an AED is not required to notify the state of their ownership or equipment. However, the Maine EMS office oversees a statewide AED registry with the primary purpose of making that information available to 911 dispatchers during an active or potential cardiac arrest event so they can direct potential rescuers to a nearby AED when it is available. Maine EMS does not use the equipment or owner information for any other purpose. We have contracted with the non-profit PulsePoint AED to house and access the AED registry data.
Benefits of Registering
There is no cost! Another feature of the registry includes tracking expiration dates for AED pads and the device battery when those are entered by the AED owner. The owner will receive an email reminder leading up to the expiration date and prompting them to consider replacement options. Another is allowing the AED owner to enter instructions about accessing the AED in a locked facility or cabinet which can be shared with the potential rescuer at the owner’s discretion. More information about discretionary access and information sharing is available in the PulsePoint resources shared above and throughout the registration application if you choose to register the device(s).
Where to Register Your AED
We encourage you to add your AEDs to the PulsePoint registry, knowing that potential rescuers and/or patients may include personnel, visitors, or patrons as well as the general public. You can add your device(s) at https://aedregistry.pulsepoint.org/index.php and learn more about the registry by clicking on the logo at the top of that page or going directly to https://www.pulsepoint.org/pulsepoint-aed.
Do I have to register my AED?
No. There is no requirement to register an AED, nor is there is a cost. Maine EMS strongly encourages you to register the device. By having a statewide registry of AEDs, Emergency Medical Dispatchers will have access to this list, and be able to relay to callers that an AED is nearby for an emergency in that area. Your device, and its availability, can save a life. Dispatchers provide instructions to callers before the arrival of EMS and this registry can help provide information to the Emergency Medical Dispatcher and the location of AEDs in a community. If the AED is available, the caller can potentially use it in the event of a patient being in cardiac arrest. The statewide registry is a way to make your community safer, and make a difference to that patient, and their loved ones.
Maine Rules and Statutes
AED Immunity from Civil Liability Statute
Maine EMS Rules - Scroll down in Table of Contents and click Chapter 23 - Registry of AEDs