How cold weather affects your defibrillator

As we approach freezing temperatures, we wanted to address a very important question, does cold weather affect how your defibrillator functions?

Freezing temperatures pose a great threat, they don’t only increase the risk of hypothermia- which can result in sudden cardiac arrest- but can also damage your defibrillator and impact its ability to function and perform effectively in an emergency.

Effects of the cold on your defibrillator

Whilst every device varies, the recommended operating temperature for most AEDs is between 0°C and 50°C. If your device is too cold, it may fail to operate rendering it useless in an emergency, but how?

Defibrillator pads serve as a crucial element, enabling your AED to analyse heart rhythms and, if required, administer a crucial life-saving shock when necessary. Exposure to temperatures below 0°C (depending on the device) can cause the gel on the adhesive pads to freeze, rendering them ineffective in a cardiac emergency. Similarly, cold weather poses a risk of draining your defibrillator batteries, thereby impacting the overall performance of your device. Ensuring your device undergoes regular daily, weekly, and monthly self-checks is essential to maintaining its optimal working condition.

Solution

To ensure accessibility in case of emergencies, many public access defibrillators are placed outdoors. If you opt to store your defibrillator, it is crucial to invest in a suitable cabinet that provides protection from not just the cold but the heat too.

To maintain functionality during winter when stored outdoors, consider an outdoor heated cabinet. This ensures that your defibrillator remains at the proper temperature, ready for use in emergencies. Please keep in mind for most of our outdoor heated cabinets that a power supply is necessary, however, we do offer solar and/or wind-powered cabinets for those without access to power, if this would be of interest to you please contact a member of our team or take a look at our cabinets here!

If you store your defibrillator in a vehicle, please check them regularly to ensure they are rescue-ready. If they begin to beep or display a service needed indicator, take the device indoors to warm up. If this issue continues, contact us as soon as possible.

If you would like to read more about how cold weather affects the heart, please check out our recent blog.

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