By Nick Gardiner
The Brockville Recorder and Times
Copyright 2007 Sun Media Corporation
All Rights Reserved
ONTARIO, CA — Senior centres and rural high schools are likely to benefit from a Heart and Stroke Foundation program providing 15 portable defibrillators for use throughout Leeds and Grenville.
The program is funded by the Ministry of Health Promotion and will be delivered by the counties’ Emergency Medical Services (EMS), which will provide the training and arrange for the distribution of the shoebox-sized defibrillators.
EMS deputy chief Craig Jones said discussions will be held with representatives of the local Heart and Stroke Foundation office and with United Counties council to determine some of the most likely places to receive the equipment.
“My focus initially was on the (rural) high schools ... and the senior centres within the community,” Jones said, noting Brockville’s high schools already have defibrillators on site.
He said senior centres in places such as Cardinal and Roebuck are also good candidates because they regularly draw groups of 30 to 60 people.
Jones said the EMS has helped distribute 40 similar units in recent years to arenas, community centres and other areas where crowds gather and trained 500 people on their use.
He said this program will boost the number of facilities while adding another 150 to 200 people trained on the machine.
Having a portable defibrillator on hand with trained people around to use it is a proven lifesaver, said Jones.
“If you can get a defib’ attached to the person in five minutes, the likelihood of surviving increases 50 per cent.”
Within the community, that was proven last September when Chris Robertson used a portable unit at the Brockville Country Club after his father Bob Robertson suffered a heart attack and collapsed.
Chris Robertson spoke passionately about the incident and the importance of having the equipment available in Smiths Falls Friday when the foundation and health promotions minister Jim Watson made the funding announcement.
Not only does Leeds and Grenville gain 15 of the devices, another five are going to Lanark County and 19 more to Renfrew County as part of a $3-million program that will be rolled out in 50 communities across the province this summer.
Ann Henry, area manager for the Leeds and Grenville and the Renfrew chapters of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, was thrilled to attend the announcement and receive the good news.
“It was absolutely exciting and great to be a part of it,” she said.
She said public places where crowds gather will be targeted for the program.
“It’s very much needed in the community,” said Henry.
“You can never have enough of these around. Let’s hope they’ll become a regular feature.”
In a statement from Friday’s presentation, Lanark County ambulance service manager James McIssac said he is pleased with the potential for the announcement to save lives.