Heart Month in Canada is recognized during February and the City of Weyburn is raising awareness of the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) around the community.
AEDs are small portable devices that analyze heart rhythms and deliver an electric shock to a person whose heart has stopped beating. AEDs are an important tool in saving the life of someone suffering from cardiac arrest.
“When cardiac arrest happens outside of the hospital, survival rate decreases considerably,” said Weyburn Fire Chief Simon Almond. “AEDs are valuable devices to have accessible to our community so we can double the chance of survival.”
The City of Weyburn has placed AEDs in locations around the community where large groups of people gather or in central locations for the public:
• City Hall – 157 3rd St. NE
• Police Station – 400 Coteau Ave.
• Fire Station – 55 16th St.
• Weyburn Leisure Centre – 532 5th St.
• Crescent Point Place/Tom Zandee Sports Arena – 327 Mergens St.
Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating; it is unpredictable and can happen anywhere at any time. According to St. John Ambulance, one cardiac arrest occurs every 12 minutes in Canada.
Causes of cardiac arrest can include heart disease, stroke, motor vehicle accident, drowning or suffocation.
Although healthy choices and early recognition of heart disease are valuable steps in preventing cardiac arrest, many victims have no prior history of heart disease. When a person is in cardiac arrest, the only way to correct the electrical rhythm of their heart is to provide an electric shock with an AED.
“Having access to an AED is essential to survival and by supplying our public facilities with AEDs we are providing our community with the proper tools to keep them safe during an emergency,” added Chief Almond.
In case of an emergency, call 911. All City of Weyburn facilities with AEDs have trained staff who can assist until professional help arrives.
