VANCOUVER, BC--A partnership between the province and the Heart and Stroke Foundation is hoping to help lower the number of British Columbians who die from cardiac arrest every year.
Four hundred and fifty defibrillators, or AEDs, are now being installed in public places around the province.
Diego Marchese with the Heart and Stroke Foundation says the machines are easy enough for anyone to use in an emergency. “The important thing here is not to hesitate and to give CPR and an AED. Really, it’s about three simple steps. Number one is call 9-1-1, number two is do CPR, number three is use an AED.”
He says studies show survival rates can increase by 75 per cent if CPR and a defibrillator are used within five minutes.
BC Health Minister Terry Lake says he’s seen first hand how important these machines can be for someone in cardiac trouble. “It’s immeasurable, really, the difference it makes. When you see it personally, with that experience with a friend, it really rings true that these are amazing devices that should be in as many public places as possible.”
Over 2,000 British Columbians die from sudden cardiac arrest every year.
SOURCE: News 1130