From Purchase to Placement

The project didn’t begin with a dramatic emergency or a single defining moment; it started with a gap. Across campus, life-saving tools like AED cabinets and bleeding control kits were being purchased with good intentions, but without a clear path for what came next. Departments would acquire the equipment, only to face unexpected questions: where should it go, and who would install it correctly?

That uncertainty mattered more than it seemed. 

These weren’t ordinary wall fixtures. AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, must be placed where they can be reached quickly during a cardiac emergency, while also complying with ADA requirements, egress pathways, and building codes. Bleeding control kits, designed for severe injuries ranging from workplace accidents to violent incidents, needed to be just as visible and accessible. 

Yet without guidance, some were installed improperly, tucked into inconvenient locations, or mounted in ways that didn’t meet safety standards. 

"They must be installed in accordance with location-specific requirements and cannot be placed just anywhere,” Instructor/Planner/Estimator (IPE) for BMS Sam Fernandez said.

The project emerged to solve exactly that problem: not by reinventing the equipment, but by creating a system. Instead of leaving departments to navigate installation on their own, the new program streamlined the entire process from purchase to placement. Previously, once a department picked up a unit, Fernandez said they would often take it back to their office and not know how to install it. They would then submit requests that disappeared into a backlog of low-priority tasks, resulting in delays and inconsistency.

Now, the process is direct and coordinated. Once equipment is obtained, there is a clear next step and a single point of contact. Each installation is evaluated in person, ensuring the location meets both user needs and safety codes. What seems as simple as mounting a cabinet quickly becomes more complex when considering different building materials, layouts, and accessibility requirements. 

Similarly, the resources inside must be replaced more frequently than others, as AEDs and bleeding control kits have a lifespan for their batteries and medical supplies.

“There are many reasons why one installation may differ from another,” said Fernandez, who stressed that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work.

But the system doesn’t stop at installation. Each completed placement becomes part of a larger, connected network. After a unit is installed, its exact location is photographed, mapped, and uploaded into the PulsePoint app. This step transforms a single cabinet into a shared resource. In an emergency, anyone nearby can quickly locate the closest AED or bleeding kit.

What makes the project stand out isn’t technological complexity, but a shift in how facilities work connects to public safety. Facilities teams typically focus on maintenance and infrastructure, which is still important work, but it is often behind the scenes. This initiative brings them into an overlap where they have the opportunity to directly tie their work to keeping others safe. 

“It’s about having an AED or Bleeding Control Kit readily available so someone can respond quickly and potentially save a life,” Fernandez said. "Hopefully it is never needed, but if it is, it will be there.”