March 07, 2009, London, ON
A 67-year-old Middlesex County man is alive today thanks to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and the County of Middlesex Emergency Medical Services’ Public Access Defibrillator Program.
On March 7, a gentleman collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest while swimming at the YMCA of Western Ontario in London. Two lifeguards and an off-duty nurse pulled the man to safety and immediately initiated Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). A lifeguard pulled the onsite Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from the wall at the same time as the paramedics arrived on scene. The patient regained consciousness and was later transported to University Hospital in London where he was reported to be in stable condition.
The placement of the AED at the YMCA of Western Ontario was made possible by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario’s Heart&Stroke Restart a Heart, Restart a Life Campaign and Chase McEachern Tribute Fund and generous donations from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and The Frank Cowan Foundation.
"The County of Middlesex has received funding through the Heart&Stroke Restart A Heart, Restart a Life Campaign and the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund to place 35 AEDs throughout the community," said Bill Thomas, Interim CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. "This save is a testament to what happens when individuals in the community learn CPR and when an AED is within reach. A special word of congratulations should go out to the quick-acting lifeguards at the YMCA of Western Ontario."
"Through the program, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario together with its partners, the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, The Frank Cowan Foundation, and Scotiabank, is making possible the purchase, installation and associated training for AEDs to be placed in communities across the province," says Thomas. "With the help of individuals, government, community groups and corporate sponsors, one day AEDs will become as commonplace as fire extinguishers in Ontario to save lives."
"We are very happy this patient survived his ordeal, and credit is owed to those who stepped in to render aid - performing CPR and utilizing the defibrillator," said, Denis Merall, Director of Emergency Services for the County of Middlesex EMS. "The County of Middlesex EMS is very pleased to have helped build this successful program that assisted in saving this man’s life - a testament to training people and placing defibrillators in public places."
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