FAQ: What is the long-term cost of AED ownership?

 

One question we are often asked is, "how much is owning an AED going to cost me over the years?" An excellent question! Let's see if we can answer this clearly, and possibly dispel some misconceptions along the way.

After the initial purchase of your AED, the only costs you'll incur, other than the cost of any optional accessories you may desire, will be the cost of consumables:  electrode pads and batteries. One misconception is the feeling that you will be "constantly changing the pads and batteries."  The fact is, even though each manufacturer's electrodes and batteries may vary slightly with regard to price and expiration dates, a good rule of thumb is 2 years for electrodes, 4 - 5 years for batteries. You are going to change the oil in your car more often than that!

One way to figure your long term cost is to take the cost of the electrode pads times 2, and the cost of the battery, add them together, then divide by 4. This will give you your cost per year for your consumables. There are exceptions with the various manufacturers when it comes to electrode pads' shelf-life and battery life expectancy, but this is a good, general equation to amortize your long-term cost of ownership. It is also a good way to help evaluate which AED may be right for you and your AED Program.

Comments

[RyanWooley]

In order to effectively calculate the "total cost of ownership", one most add the costs of on-going training. Most states require that expected users be trained and certified by the American Heart Association (or equivalent). The certification is good for 2 years, so you can anticipate to incur training fees at least every 2 years. Other costs may include 3rd party AED Management programs, like En-Pro (www.en-proinc.com)who ensure an AED Program is compliant and positioned to save lives.