Though gyms are now required to have Automated External Defibrillators, some don’t have them, and some don’t know how to use.

Despite federal and state laws, which protect gyms and other facilities from lawsuits if they properly train and use automated external defibrillators (AEDs), some gyms still go without these life-saving devices or, even worse, purchase one and then never train staff on how to use it. This was the situation that the Clore Law Group encountered in 2010 when they successfully resolved a significant case in favor of a man who suffered a cardiac arrest and massive brain injuries while exercising on a treadmill at his local gym. Even though the gym had a fully charged AED near the front desk, which could have automatically shocked and brought the man back to life, the gym staff did not know what to do with it. For years AEDs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and sold to businesses and even for home use. When the device is turned on, it gives simple commands with a few basic diagrams showing how to apply the small pads to a victim's chest and then to press a button to deliver the shock. By the time EMS arrived and used the machine to restore the man's heart, over ten minutes had elapsed, and his brain had suffered from lack of oxygenated blood flow during that time.