BC residents experiencing sudden cardiac arrest will receive life-saving support as the Province makes automated external defibrillators (AED) more widely available in several communities, including Prince George.
During a news conference today (Friday) at Masich Place Stadium, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond unveiled a new pilot program to provide online training resources and administer funds for the purchase of AED devices, signage, placement, and initial costs of battery and pad replacement.
It’s through a partnership with Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) and Heart & Stroke (H&S).
An AED is an easy-to-use, portable device that assesses the heart and delivers an electric shock when needed. The device can be safely and effectively operated by people without any medical training.
“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone anywhere, and without immediate treatment, it can lead to brain damage or death,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.
“I want to thank Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount, for her tireless advocacy to make life-saving AEDs more accessible in public spaces. With more publicly accessible AEDs, people will have the tools they need to save a loved one, a colleague or even a complete stranger. Anyone can step up to be the hero who helps restart a heart and keep it beating until paramedics arrive.”
If someone is experiencing cardiac arrest, the combination of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as well as the use of an AED before emergency medical services arrive, can double the chance of survival.
The AEDs will be clearly marked and placed in easily accessible public areas, such as airports, community centres, post-secondary institutions, government buildings, and other public locations.
The devices will also be registered on the PulsePoint Respond app, where people trained in CPR can be notified of a nearby cardiac arrest and receive directions to an AED’s location.
“Having an AED pilot program begin here in the city of Prince George means a great deal to me, my family and my constituents,” said Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount.
“We know that an AED can mean the difference between life and death. Fewer than one in 10 people survive a cardiac arrest, but increasing access to AEDs and using CPR can dramatically change that outcome. This is an important step in the right direction, and I want to thank Minister Dix for working on this pilot project with me and for the program announced today.”
In addition to Prince George, two more B.C. communities will participate in the pilot program and will be confirmed in the near future.
The province is allocating $3.5 million dollars starting this fall, with AEDs expected to be in place by 2026. Data on the use of the devices will be shared with BC Emergency Health Services to support ongoing research and training.
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