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St. John Ambulance calls for increased adoption of Automated External Defibrillators
- By John Bignell
- Published 03/8/2008
- Cardiology
- Unrated
John Bignell
John Bignell started his career in broadcasting as the producer and co-host of the Internet’s first paramedic podcast, EMS Live. Taking the experience gained there, he co-founded Podcast Plus a creative communications agency focusing on consulting businesses, charities and associations on the use of cutting edge communications which are becoming a mainstream part of organization’s internal and external communication strategies. He has also been featured in various publications, national radio programs and podcasts in Canada and the United States. When breaking free of the office, you’ll find him in nature, camping, hiking, geocaching, mountain biking, surfing, and sailing.
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With summer around the corner and Canadians set to flock to public events across the country, lifesaving Automated External Defibrillators (AED) should be a mainstay. Sadly, they are not. Venues such as public swimming pools, churches and malls - in addition to work sites and countless other gathering points - would benefit from these units, which are the definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.
The defibrillator depolarizes an important mass of the heart muscle, terminates the arrhythmia, and helps the heart return to its natural pace. That is the technological description. More importantly, if you have a heart attack and both a defibrillator and someone trained in its use are there to help, your chances of seeing the next day are doubled.
"In a perfect world, everyone in British Columbia would have AED training and immediate access to a defibrillator. The likely result of this would be 2,000 more British Columbians surviving a cardiac arrest event every year," says Larry Odegard, CEO of St. John Ambulance in B.C.
St. John Ambulance encourages all organizations to acquire, and train for, AEDs - especially since it's a one-time expense that, with a small amount of training, will save lives.
AED is revolutionizing first aid and prehospital cardiac care. As a result, St. John Ambulance programs offer a review and practice of CPR skills as well as training in the use of AED equipment.
These programs include training in the specific type of AED equipment used by clients, machine maintenance and documentation.
2008 marks the first year that Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training is being added to all the public CPR, Emergency, and Standard First Aid programs offered by St. John Ambulance.
The new focus on AEDs is "the result of an extensive undertaking by our dedicated employees, 1850 volunteers and over 400 contract instructors," said Dave Frank, Director of Marketing at St. John Ambulance B.C., citing "the critical importance of safety at home and in the workplace."
St. John Ambulance instructors have strong training expertise in the use of AEDs because of the organization's commitment to ongoing training, review and active involvement with the use of the equipment in real-life situations.