On November 30, 2003, California businessman Jim Baum experienced what he calls his "personal miracle." After reading reports about the need for AEDs in saving lives lost to sudden cardiac arrest, Baum ordered the lifesaving device, just in case he or one of his friends might one day need it. The AED arrived but remained unopened until one day, while visiting his winter home in Mexico, Baum cut open the box of the new defibrillator, installed the batteries, and made certain that all was in working order. Along with his wife, he went over directions on how to use an AED in case of an emergency. Ironically, less than 24 hours later, Baum took a walk across the beach, returned to his condo, and collapsed in cardiac arrest.

"That defibrillator was three feet from me and in operating condition," he recalled. "My wife and friends slapped the electrodes on me, and the first shock brought me back to life. I kept asking myself, 'Why am I still alive?' I guess it is to promote defibrillators!"

Baum, who owns mobile home communities, is now a strong advocate of making AEDs more available in fitness clubs and schools. The businessman also purchased a defibrillator for his neighborhood, distributing keys to nearby residents who can retrieve the device in case a cardiac emergency occurs.

And he hasn't forgotten the mobile home residents. "We are launching a campaign to make AEDs available in the common areas of our communities," Baum told NHW. "We set up a Neighborhood HeartWatch lockbox right beside the mailbox kiosk. There are 85 units in this particular park. Every day, residents go to get their mail and look at the lockbox. If most residents want a key to the box, I am going to put them in all of my parks and urge other owners to do the same. I don't see why every condominium association and apartment house wouldn't have a lockbox and defibrillator. People need quick access to AEDs in those first critical minutes."

Baum hopes someday more people will have their own "miracle story" to tell.

To order a Neighborhood HeartWatch lockbox, please email Paul SerVaas at p.servaas@saturdayeveningpost.com.