Winter defibrillator care: How to keep your AED rescue ready in cold weather

With winter comes cold weather which not only affects people but also the lifesaving equipment designed to protect them. Lower temperatures, increased moisture and reduced daylight can all place additional strain on defibrillators, especially those that are outdoors or in unheated spaces. As the risk of cardiac arrest also increases during the winter, ensuring defibrillators are rescue ready during the winter is extremely important (as well as during the rest of the year).

AEDs are designed to be robust and reliable, even in the coldest, harshest environments (depending on the model you own). However, cold weather, moisture and reduced daylight can have an impact on the operation and accessibility of your defibrillator.

When it comes to defibrillator care and maintenance, winter is one of the most important times of the year to check on your defibrillator and ensure its operating as it should. A small issue that goes unnoticed over a prolonged period could mean that your defibrillator is no longer rescue ready when it’s really needed.

In this guide, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about how winter conditions can affect your AED and the steps you can take to ensure your defibrillator stays rescue ready throughout the colder months and beyond.

How does the cold weather affect AEDs?

Defibrillators are designed to withstand a range of environments and are extremely robust. The device you own will depend on how durable it is when it comes to varying weather and temperature conditions as well as whether it’s kept indoors or outdoors. Winter can introduce challenges for your AED so it’s worth understanding what these are so you can provide adequate protection for your defibrillator.

Key factors affecting AED performance in cold weather include:

• Battery performance can be impacted by low temperatures, especially for a defibrillator that’s outside or in a space with varying temperatures. Battery efficiency can be reduced so regularly checking your defibrillator to ensure its rescue ready is particularly important during the winter.
• Moisture and condensation are much more common in the winter months. For both indoor and outdoor cabinets, temperature changes can cause condensation inside cabinets, especially if the seals are damaged or there is poor ventilation. This can affect the components of the defibrillator if they’re not checked regularly.
• Access and visibility can become difficult in the winter with snow, ice, fallen leaves or poor lighting making it more difficult to access or locate a defibrillator quickly, even if it’s fully rescue ready.

Location considerations for winter defibrillator protection

Defibrillators are kept either indoors or outdoors. Different considerations will apply depending on where your AED is located, and the winter weather can affect outdoor and indoor AEDs in different ways.

Outdoor defibrillators

An outdoor AED, even when kept in a cabinet, is exposed to low temperatures, frost, wind and rain which means you need to ensure your AED is adequately protected.

Winter protection for defibrillators includes:

• A weatherproof, sealed outdoor defibrillator cabinet specifically designed for outdoor use
• A heated cabinet to keep your defibrillator at safe operating temperatures and to protect it from extremely low temperatures. A lit cabinet also helps with visibility in poor weather conditions
• A reliable power supply to keep your cabinet heated and lit if applicable
• Clear external signage around your AED to help responders locate it quickly in poor weather or low light

When you check your outdoor defibrillator in the winter, these checks should include confirming that your cabinet heating and lighting is working, and the power supply is still on, as well as checking for condensation or moisture inside your cabinet which could affect your AED.

If the weather’s poor, you’ll need to keep access routes clear of snow, ice or debris to ensure it can be easily located if it’s needed in an emergency.

For the defibrillator itself, regular checks such as checking its status indicator to check for any problems can be carried out more frequently in the winter as the factors we’ve mentioned above can have an impact on operation.

Indoor defibrillators

It can be easy to assume that indoor AEDs are naturally protected from winter conditions. Defibrillators that are stored in unheated or infrequently used buildings can be exposed to low temperatures and moisture which can affect your device.

Your defibrillator may need additional checks throughout the winter if it’s in locations such as:

• Sports pavilions
• Community halls
• Garages or storage rooms
• Outbuildings or temporary structures

Winter checks for these AEDs should include:

• Ensuring the room temperature stays within your AEDs recommended range. If it’s likely to drop below, it would be worth seeing if your defibrillator can be placed somewhere the temperature will remain steady
• Keeping your AED visible and accessible, even if the building is closed. An indoor defibrillator cabinet can ensure your AED is easy to find and protected from damage
• Ensuring signage is clear and visible in darker winter conditions
• Checking pads and batteries for expiry dates and to ensure they’re still functioning
• Checking AED status indicator and fix issues as they arise

If your indoor defibrillator is kept in an unheated space, you may need to move it, consider a heated indoor cabinet or carry out more frequent checks during the winter.

Regardless of where your defibrillator is located indoors or outdoors, the key question should be: Is my AED accessible, visible and rescue ready in the event of an emergency?

Common winter issues for AED and how often you should perform checks

We see a range of issues with defibrillators throughout the winter months. These often occur not as a result of the device failing but because certain checks have been missed.

Common problems include:

• Outdoor cabinets losing power during storms
• Heating elements failing and going unnoticed
• Condensation forming inside cabinets
• Expired pads or batteries that can be overlooked during holiday periods
• AEDs and cabinets obstructed by weather debris or other items

With regular checks, these issues can be easily prevented by having someone to be responsible for your defibrillator and increasing the frequency of checks.

Usually, monthly checks are enough to check on your AED but, during the winter months, it can be useful to make these weekly instead. We recommend making additional visual checks in the winter months, particularly following:

• Frost
• Snowfall
• Storms

Having someone specific to care for your defibrillator, whether it’s one or multiple people can also help to pick up on issues and ensure your defibrillator remains rescue ready. Plus, documenting these checks help to maintain continuity.

Staying rescue ready through winter and beyond

Winter conditions can have an impact on your defibrillator. However, with the right checks, protection and responsibility in place, you can ensure it stays rescue ready all year round.

Taking extra care and performing extra checks during the colder months will continue to ensure your defibrillator is accessible, visible and ready for use if it’s needed in an emergency. Simple steps such as checking cabinet heating, monitoring AED status and giving your defibrillator the protection it needs can make a huge difference when every second counts.

If you’re not sure whether your defibrillator is properly protected for the winter, now is the perfect time to seek advice and review your setup. At Defib4Life, our team are happy to support you with advice and guidance to help you keep your AED rescue ready. Please contact our customer service team today.