Gun vs. Defibrillator (AED)

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» Posted by Sintjago on May 21, 2012 in Spring 2012 | 0 comments

Gun vs. Defibrillator (AED)

May 21, 2012

For the past two years, I have been thinking of buying a defibrillator, more specifically an AED (1). Not for me, but for my father, or more specifically for his home. It needs two people for it to be used, since the person who is used on must be disabled, but most of the time there are two individuals at home. Anyhow, they run anywhere from $1,500 to much more. In my opinion it is a worthwhile investment. Is like a fire extinguisher in a house, it is there as a preventative measure. My dad is fine now, but is one of those things that you just never know, and anything that can help someone survive by 40% is worthwhile (2).

The problem however is that he and my mom see it as buying a cemetery plot. As a jinx in some morbid way. To me is preventative and I would be happy to buy it if they were ok with it. My argument is that it doesnt cost much more than other things they have, and it could save their lives. I know quite a few people for example that own guns that just sit there and they never use them. Guns that I myself when I was a kid “borrowed” from my father’s locker and play with. It was a revolver and there was nothing in the chamber but it was silly. Most of the hiding spots my dad had for this and other things I found. They were good hiding spots but I liked to explore.

I have nothing against hunting, and in many ways I think is a good thing. It can help to make natural areas more sustainable as people have a vested interest in preserving them and they can be commercially sustained. Yet, many guns in homes are useless, and in my opinion are usually an accident waiting to happen (3). For this reason, I support the get rid of your guns and buy a defibrillator campaign. No it doesnt exist, but perhaps it should.