THE PHILIPS “HEARTSTART” Automated Home Defibrillator: When I see stuff like this, I know I’m living in the 21st Century. There’s even video of it in action.

UPDATE: Reader Don Vollum emails: “If you think the Heartstart is cool, look at this link.” I wonder how long before they’ll be routinely implanting these things — not for people like Dick Cheney, but just as a standard precaution?

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Ryan Cox emails:

On June 28th 2004, my father dropped like a ton of bricks at our local baseball field. He had no pulse and was not breathing. He was dead. Thanks to the courageous actions of a few people, most especially Ken Kiernan, a portable defibrillator was used twice and my father’s heart started again. CPR would not have saved him. The ambulance with its defibrillator would not have arrived on time. He ended up having quadruple bypass surgery within 3 days and is now continuing his recovery.

9 out of 10 people do not survive cardiac arrest. The defibrillator is one of the best methods for survival of this event and a portable defibrillator in public places will help more people survive.

In one of life’s strange ironies, it was at my father’s persistence as president of the baseball league, that the portable defibrillator was installed at the ball field. 1 year prior after a severe accident near the ball field convinced him they needed to shore up their emergency medical equipment. .

I wish to share this story so more people will continue to learn about these miracle devices. And to give as much credit as possible to Ken Kiernan. He saved my father’s life.

Thank you for informing your legion of readers about this important medical device breakthrough.

My wife knows a woman who collapsed unexpectedly with arrhythmia at the gym, but who was saved by one of these. It’s good that they’re becoming more common.