Defibrillator registry saves lives – so register now

Owners of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) are urged to register their devices with a life-saving online database if they haven’t already done so.

There are currently 45 AEDs in the registry, but many more remain unregistered at private businesses, community facilities, and homes across the province. Registration is voluntary and free and can be done in less than five minutes by visiting www.bleepingeasy.com or by calling (902) 569-7653.

In addition, information sessions being held across the province in May and a video series; will inform Islanders about the new registry and about the importance of AEDs.

More than 200 registration letters were sent in February to federal, provincial and municipal governments, fire departments, recreation facilities, schools, churches, and other community organizations.

The AED registry will go live this summer once the database has been sufficiently populated and a live testing phase has been completed. With the registry in place, Island EMS and the emergency medical dispatcher can:

• advise the caller assisting the individual in sudden cardiac arrest of the nearest publicly accessible defibrillator;
• direct the caller to either retrieve it or to ask someone else for assistance; and,
• provide instructions on how to use it until paramedics arrive.

“Sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. It can happen without warning and there are often no symptoms; it can even be fatal in healthy children and teens,” said Dr. Scott Cameron, emergency department physician and Health PEI’s provincial medical director of Emergency Services. “When someone uses a registered AED, they have the full support of our emergency health services – they are initiating life-saving care with a trained professional on the phone, guiding them through the process. Having this registry in place and populated with every AED in the province means greater chances of survival for individuals who suffer a cardiac arrest.”

Announced last December, the AED registry is operated in partnership with Health PEI, Heart & Stroke - PEI, Island EMS, and MEDACOM Atlantic.

 “Sudden cardiac arrest survival starts with early CPR intervention and use of an AED by the public before the paramedics arrive,” said Darcy Clinton, Island EMS paramedic chief and general manager of MEDACOM Atlantic. “Having an AED registry is essential for Islanders, and we are happy to provide that support.”

 “We are excited that the registry is nearing ‘go live’, and encourage Islanders and organizations to take the time to register their AEDs,” said Sarah Crozier, Health Promotion Manager for Heart & Stroke – PEI. “The more AEDs logged with the registry, the better access and the better the chances of survival for individuals experiencing a cardiac arrest outside of hospital. Improved access and increased, early use will result in better outcomes for Islanders.”

Media contact:
Amanda Hamel
ajhamel@gov.pe.ca  

Backgrounder:

Up to 40,000 cardiac arrests occur in Canada each year – or one every 13 minutes.

 Defibrillation, when combined with cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) within the first few minutes, can more than double a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.

• With each passing minute, the probability of survival declines by seven to 10 per cent.
• Without immediate treatment, the individual will suffer brain damage within three minutes and will rarely survive past twelve minutes.

 A portable, electronic Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) evaluates a sudden cardiac arrest victim’s heart rhythm, determines if shock is needed, and delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart.

 An AED will not accidentally shock someone as it reads the heart rhythm and only delivers a shock if needed.

The AED Registry is integrated with Island EMS’ Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocol launched in September, as well as the Computer Assisted Dispatch software used by Island EMS.

 The AED Registry information sessions will be held as follows:

• May 8 – Souris, Souris Regional High School (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
• May 9 – Montague, Montague Consolidated School (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
• May 10 – Charlottetown, Colonel Gray Senior High School (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
• May 14 – O’Leary, O’Leary Elementary School (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
• May 17 – Summerside, Summerside Intermediate School (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
• May 23 – Wellington, Wellington Fire Department (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.) (session offered in French)

https://youtu.be/-AHb4lqvZUo