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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2007-08-29, Page 10Page 10 The Huron Expositor • August 29, 2007 News Public access defibrillators coming to Huron County Notebook computer -sized units boost survival rate to '50 per cent' Ben Forrest Huron County paramedics respond to about 100 cardiac arrests in a given year, only 50 of which are treatable by the time they are able to arrive on -scene. The chances of survival drops 10 per cent for every minute that passes, and when a typical ambulance response time sits at around 17 minutes, odds are often against the patient. With the installation of 16 defibrillators in arenas around the county and the drive to include many more in other pub- lic places in the near future, however, there is a hope among local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel and politicians that lives will be saved. The defibrillators, called Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), are part of a multi-million dollar program that will see AEDs installed in 50 municipalities in Ontario. They are made pos- sible through a $3 million grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotions and a $1 million pri- vate -sector gift from the Frank Cowan F-e-,nndation to a Hurt and Stroke Foundation fundrais- ing campaign. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO) dis- tributed the funds for public access defibrillators and the training needed to operate them after an application process. Local need, response times, cardiac survival rates and the local readi- ness to support pub- lic access defibrilla- tors were all consid- ered when allocating funds. The AEDs received by Huron County are made by the same company that makes the defibrillators used by Goderich paramedics, but con- sist of a small unit no larger than a notebook computer. EMS will train two } or three staff in each 'As soon as you can get assistance to people, that's the best recovery,'-- - Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell location on how to use the AEDs, and it is expected that these people will train others. The AEDs also provide step-by- step instructions on how they should be used via a computer- ized voice. This is intended to jog the memory of those who have been trained some time ago. Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell announced Huron County's receipt of the AEDs in Goderich recently, saying after- ward that her government "rec- ognized that as soon as you can get assistance to people, that's the best recovery." "That also assists in less hospi- tal time and a faster recovery time, which then affects the overall health care costs as well." She added that faster recovery times are also in the best inter- est of a patients' health. . David J. Lew, Huron County's manager of land ambulance oper- ations, said following the announcement that the county would like to see 16 more defib- rillators around pools and in nursing homes, :.YOUR RENOVATION AND HOME SPECIALISTSJJ Excavating Inc. Ti& J Callus for... Excavators, Bobcats, Dozers, Trucking, etc. Complete Excavating Contractor Derrick VanDruel 519-440-8296 Simon VanDriel 519-482-3783 Renovating? Calt� MIKE BOVEN� BLIUE.WAOORSTER CARPENTRY WINDOWtr3 S O Sales • Service • Installation hi,.Sw 394 Huron Rd. (across from the Beer Store) Check out our Website: www. bl uewaterwi ndows.ca E -Mail: sales@bluewaterwindowa.ca • AGRICULTURAL • RESIDENTIAL • NEW CONSTRUCTION • RENOVATIONS Mike Boven 519-527-1538 519-524-1520 \ axR PLAN NUMBER 5-3-660 • • ■ ■ II --r I- DINING AREA ,35 7 7 • ,7 ,C ORWLA, .1411-!'•D LA g .gRIC• U"Mi bbl GRIF-A7 • MASTFR SU IF Fr/r111 C. ii c M ENS,rt,E acoatoOM.2 .7.7 •. 7 BEDROOMS f)DURE GARAGE 7••'.ny ,t MAIN FLOOR PLAN 2326 SQ. FT. 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VINs NEAn$c •AIR-c0Iorfl 1Ns 24 Hour Emergency Service Available CaII Jeff Holman at 519-345-0888 or \. 519-527-0220 Mortgage $$$ • Baying • Renewing • Refinancing Get The Best Rate! We deal with over 71 financial institutions to get the toy) rate Call Gary Walden MORTGAGE NETWORK 86 ALBERT ST.. CLINTON 1-866-623-0589 among other public places. "That ' s where the bulk of our citizens tend to be... But we need to have trained people," he said. For its part, the Heart and Stroke Foundation would like to see defibrilla- tors become as common as fire extinguishers. M a l l s, churches, schools and beaches were other desired locations identi- fied by Christine Lyszczarz, a HSFO commu- nity mission specialist. "They do save lives," she said. "They increase the survival rate from five per cent to at least 50 per cent when you have a cardiac arrest, so with CPR, it actually does save lives."