Ok, I can't seem to figure out why you consider the AED training to be of minimal value based on what you wrote.
Personally, I think the AED is a significant breakthrough in the American EMS system. For the first time in history, first responders and lay citizens can begin Advanced Life Support on their own, prior to the response of paramedics. Here in Las Vegas, AEDs are playing a major role for first responders. Virtually all the hotel casinos in town have their security guards trained in the use of AEDs and the hotels have the AEDs to use. Airline personel have been trained in the use of AEDs: who else could benefit more than airline personel when they are at 30,000 feet and someone suffers sudden cardiac death ? I know law enforcement officers are carrying AEDs in various parts of the country for the times they arrive on the scene of a medical emergency before EMS personel. I have read of AEDs being placed on the wall in airports the same way fire extingushers have been in the past. Shopping malls in some areas have done the same . There was a big push on here locally within the last year to have gyms equipped with AEDs and most of the big ones jumped on board. Now, people can have their own AED in their home. I am sure they are expensive. It would be silly for everyone to go out and buy one. But for someone with a known cardiac history, it certainly would give piece of mind. I am absolutely sure that the ones out there will save lives.
The fire department I work for has an AED on every unit that is not a paramedic unit (BLS, ILS units). A few years ago, I was riding a truck company (ladder truck) when we happened to be right around the corner from a reported man down. In our EMS system, truck companies don't normally respond to medical emergencies, but we were right there and we had the gear including an AED. We arrived five minutes before the ambulance and found a man lying in a parking lot who was unconscious, was not breathing and had no pulse I personally used the truck companies AED to defibrillate the man and he lived to see another day. I have done this same thing many times over the years: I have worked full time as a paramedic for over 20 years, but I never before or since used an AED.
The very idea of posting a statement that learning to save someone's life is of minimal value is ridiculous.