King County Public Health recently launched a “Shockingly Simple” campaign to spread the word about the importance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and registering them so first responders can locate the nearest device in an emergency.

“When a person calls 911, the dispatcher can tell them exactly where the nearest AED is located,” according to the county website. “This allows AED owners to not only help their own team, but also benefit the broader community.”

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the number 3 killer in America, with a survival rate of about 10 percent. More than 300,000 Americans die each year from SCA, but AEDs, which deliver an electric shock to restart the heart, can increase survival rate by 70-80 percent.

The sooner an electrical shock can be delivered to someone suffering from SCA, the greater the chance that person will survive.

Local business owners and residents are encouraged to purchase AEDs and register their devices with the county, as they “only work if you can find them.”

There are currently more than 3,000 registered AEDs in King County — contributing to the county having one of the highest witnessed out-of-hospital defibrillation SCA survival rates in the world. But less than 1,000 businesses and organizations have registered an AED.

Watch a video on the campaign at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDhTQXmW64g.

Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/aed.