Beringen expands AED network with new installations and replacements

The municipality of Beringen is expanding its automated external defibrillator (AED) network to improve emergency cardiac care. The expansion includes the installation of three new devices at high-traffic public facilities: Service Centre De Klitsberg in Paal, a youth facility in Stal, and the CC Casino in Beringen Mijn, which is scheduled for installation later this year.

In addition to new installations, the city is replacing nine outdated AED units. These replacements were necessary because manufacturers no longer provide critical components, such as batteries and electrode pads, for the older models. Following these updates, all 20 AEDs within the Beringen public access network will be fully operational.

Mayor Thomas Vints noted the importance of the investment, stating that an AED can be the deciding factor between life and death during a cardiac arrest. Statistics indicate that while survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are low without intervention, they can rise to 70 percent if CPR and an AED are used within the first three to five minutes.