By Cheryl Jahn

PG to pilot AED Program

Sep 13, 2024 | 3:20 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – More people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest will receive life-saving support as the Province makes automated external defibrillators more widely available in several B.C. communities, launching in Prince George.

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.”

To Your Health

How to prevent eye strain

3h ago

Enviroment

Freshwater jellyfish are invading B.C. waterways

4h ago

Edie Frederick

Beloved Lheidli T'enneh elder Edie Frederick passes away, community remembers her legacy

6h ago

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. To make sure the AEDs go where they are needed most, communities are chosen based on the number of registered AEDs available in public spaces compared to other communities, as well as the rate of sudden cardiac arrest in proximity to public spaces where AEDs could be placed.