Spotlight Staff
Northern Lakes College has received a $200,000 donation from the Heart and Stroke Foundation in the form of life-saving devices known as Automated External Defibrillators along with other equipment and training.
The AED is an electronic device used to restart a person’s heart that has stopped beating. They are safe, easy to use, and can be operated effectively by the public.
The AED devices will be installed at 20 campuses throughout the NLC service region. The Heart and Stroke Foundation is providing the AEDs and training through a generous estate gift whose donor wishes to remain anonymous.
Jim Meldrum, Occupational Health and Safety officer at NLC, says NLC also received 10 trainers and 350 CPR training kits.
“Distribution, training and accreditation classes have already commenced. In conjunction with a training video, students will use the AED trainers and material in their CRP training kits to experience true-to-life situations in dealing with persons experiencing a cardiac arrest.”
The Heart and Stroke Foundation notes most cardiac arrests occur in homes and public places, and are witnessed by a family member, co-worker or friend. Performing CPR and using an AED before emergency medical services arrive can double the chance of survival.
Up to 40,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur in Canada annually, or about one every 13 minutes.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation trains more than half a million people every year in CPR and AED use.
“Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, to anyone, at any age,” says Mike Hoffman, manager of the foundation’s national AED program. “The chance for survival depends on fast action that includes CPR and application of an AED within the first few minutes. That’s why this donation and the training that goes along with it is so important.”
NLC president and CEO Ann Everatt is pleased with the donation.
“Northern Lakes College serves northern communities in Alberta. Having access to life-saving equipment in our remote campuses will benefit our students, our staff and the entire community.”
All AEDs are registered in Alberta and each AED location is carefully documented. An example may be that someone is in the state of a cardiac arrest and 911 is contacted. The 911 operator sees the caller’s location via the cell phone GPS signal and then taps into the database and gives specific instructions to the caller the nearest AED.