Utility Crews Need AEDs and CPR Training

Author: Marcy Burnham, RN

Every day, utility workers head into the field to keep our communities running—restoring power in storms, repairing water lines, or maintaining gas infrastructure. It’s dangerous, physical work, often done in isolated locations or under extreme conditions.

But amid all the safety procedures, harness checks, and electrical lockouts, one simple fact often goes overlooked: the greatest life-threatening emergency a crew might face isn’t always external. It could happen to one of their own.

Cardiac arrest can strike without warning—on the job site, in the truck, or even while taking a lunch break. It doesn’t matter how fit or experienced someone is. When it happens, every second counts.

For every minute without CPR or defibrillation, the chance of survival drops by about 10%. After just 5 minutes, brain damage begins. After 10, survival is rare. Waiting for EMS isn’t always an option—especially when crews are miles from town or working in storm-damaged areas.

That’s why utility companies need to think beyond traditional safety measures. They need AEDs in their vehicles and employees trained in CPR—not just for the public, but for their own teammates.

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a small, portable device that can restart a heart in sudden cardiac arrest. It analyzes heart rhythms and delivers a shock if needed—all with clear voice prompts. Anyone can use one safely.

For utility companies, having AEDs in fleet vehicles is a logical, lifesaving step:

• Crews are mobile. They’re constantly on the move, often working far from immediate help.

• They’re exposed to physical stress. Long hours, heavy labor, extreme temperatures, and adrenaline can all strain the heart.

• They look out for each other. If a coworker goes down, having an AED nearby can mean the difference between tragedy and survival.

A few hundred dollars and some simple maintenance could save a priceless life.

When a colleague collapses, panic is natural—but knowledge conquers fear. Performing hands-only CPR immediately keeps oxygen-rich blood flowing to the brain and organs until an AED can be used or EMS arrives.

The truth is stark: bystander CPR can double or triple survival chances. When a crew member knows how to perform CPR, they become their partner’s best chance at life.

Training every field worker in CPR ensures no one stands helpless in an emergency. It’s a simple investment that builds confidence, teamwork, and a safety culture rooted in real-world preparedness.

Utility companies are built on the principles of reliability, responsibility, and community service. That same commitment should extend inward—to protecting the people who make the work possible.

Equipping vehicles with AEDs and training every employee in CPR:

• Protects workers in the field from the unexpected.

• Demonstrates leadership and compassion for the workforce.

• Builds stronger, safer crews who know how to react when seconds matter.

• Strengthens community trust—because people notice when companies put safety first.

This isn’t just about compliance or optics—it’s about ensuring every worker goes home safe, every day.

Across the country, there are stories of lives saved because someone nearby had an AED and knew CPR—coworkers reviving coworkers, linemen saving teammates, and crews who turned tragedy into triumph.

Don’t wait for a wake-up call to act. Make AEDs and CPR training a standard part of your utility fleet and culture.

Because when it’s your partner, your friend, or your crew leader who suddenly collapses, you’ll want to know you did everything possible to save them.

Utility work is built on trust—the trust that your crew has your back no matter what. Adding AEDs to every vehicle and making CPR a universal skill honors that bond.  In an emergency, you might not have time to wait for help.  But with the right tools and training, you can be the help.