AED in the News

Ontario Student Saved on College Campus with Bystander CPR, AED Plus

Georgian College staff member Nicole Graham and AED Plus

November 23, 2010 -
A Georgian College student who collapsed from a sudden cardiac arrest was saved with the help of bystander CPR and the use of a ZOLL AED Plus® automated external defibrillator (AED). Students and faculty who witnessed the event called 9-1-1, and nursing faculty members and a program assistant performed CPR, while staff member Nicole Graham (pictured above), trained in its use, brought the AED Plus that was installed on the campus. The AED administered a shock, which stabilized the patient's heart rhythm. Grey County EMS arrived, began treatment, and transported the patient to the hospital.

The AED was on campus thanks to a contribution to the Heart & Stroke Restart a Heart™, a Life Program and the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund and a partnership with the County of Simcoe Paramedic Services Public Access Defibrillation Program. The College's public access defibrillation program has trained more than 80 employees in sudden cardiac arrest, CPR, and the use of AEDs.

When someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, effective bystander CPR can double a victim’s chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association. And an AED provides CPR feedback and delivers a shock if needed. Without getting CPR and an AED to the victim quickly, the chance of survival is only 5%.