Beijing has introduced new local standards for the deployment and management of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), with a key requirement for their placement in densely populated public spaces to ensure access within five minutes. The initiative aims to foster a public emergency response ecosystem where AEDs are readily available and people are equipped with the skills to use them, thereby enhancing community first-aid capabilities. The recently released "Specifications for the Configuration and Management of Automatic External Defibrillators in Public Places" by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation sets comprehensive rules covering AED site planning, installation, signage, equipment maintenance, and training. These new regulations are scheduled to take effect on October 1st of this year.

An AED, or Automated External Defibrillator, is a portable emergency device used to treat individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. To ensure the public can quickly locate an AED during an emergency, the devices should be deployed in high-traffic areas frequented by citizens, such as subway stations, campuses, commercial districts, and tourist attractions, with clear and prominent signage. For instance, in public venues, they should be prioritized for placement at staffed locations like information desks, reception areas, duty rooms, service counters, and customer service centers. Within residential communities, they can be installed in common gathering areas, preferably on the first floor near elevator lobbies or stairwells, with indicators inside elevators pointing to the AED location. In schools, suitable installation points include entrances, gatehouses, hallway intersections, large conference rooms, areas surrounding sports fields, school infirmaries, and underground activity zones.

Guidelines for Effective Signage and Placement

Merely installing AEDs is not enough; they must be accompanied by highly visible directional signage. The specifications stipulate that public venues equipped with AEDs must mark their location on site floor plans and install standardized, conspicuous directional signs at major entrances/exits and at the AED placement point itself. AEDs must be positioned within a distance that allows for rapid retrieval. The standards set differentiated response time limits based on various scenarios. Within medical institutions, areas where professional emergency medical services cannot arrive promptly should be equipped with AEDs, with a target walking round-trip time for retrieval of less than 3 minutes.

For locations with high population flow, elevated risk of incidents, relatively enclosed environments, or where access to pre-hospital emergency medical services is difficult shortly after an incident—such as residential communities, urban rail transit systems, railway trains, aircraft, transportation hubs, elderly care facilities, sports and cultural entertainment venues, large supermarkets, parks, and schools—priority should also be given to AED deployment. In these settings, the target walking round-trip time for retrieval should be less than 5 minutes.

Ensuring Public Access and Maintenance

AEDs installed in public areas and communal spaces of residential communities must be provided for public use free of charge. Even if 24-hour access is not feasible, the specific hours of availability must be clearly posted. Regarding maintenance responsibility, the specifications state that the installing entity is responsible for managing the AED equipment to ensure its proper functionality. The installing unit must designate a responsible department and personnel for routine AED maintenance. Consumable items must be replaced promptly upon nearing expiration or after use. Records of equipment inspections and maintenance must be diligently kept and retained for a minimum of two years.

Promoting Public Training and Education

Effective deployment and management must be complemented by ensuring people know how to "use" and "use correctly" the AEDs. The specifications require that AED installing units organize regular training sessions for relevant personnel on AED usage. Training content should cover the four steps of first aid, hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and AED operation skills. Furthermore, primary and secondary schools are encouraged to incorporate AED-related急救知识 and usage methods into their safety and emergency response education curriculum.