NORTH BAY, ONTARIO--North Bay could become the first municipality in Ontario to make the installation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) mandatory in newly constructed commercial and institutional buildings.
Council heard from Mayor Al McDonald Tuesday a motion will be brought forward in two weeks calling for a bylaw that would require the life-saving devices to be installed in newly constructed buildings accessible to the public such as schools and shopping malls.
“The city wants to be the first to put forward a motion to have AEDs installed in new commercial and institutional developments,” said McDonald, noting the proposed motion has not yet been drafted.
He said the intent, however, would be to target larger facilities with a significant amount of the public traffic, rather than small operations such as a corner store.
McDonald said the idea behind the motion was sparked by recent incidents at local arenas in which hockey players used a defibrillator to save the life of a teammate.
Bill Copeman was revived by his teammates with CPR and an automated external defibrillator machine Jan. 24 after he suddenly collapsed while on the bench during a hockey game at the West Ferris Arena.
And two weeks prior to that, Roger Menard's teammates saved his life using CPR and an AED after he went into cardiac arrest at the end of a game Jan. 10 at Memorial Gardens.
Menard told council Tuesday “I wouldn't be here today” if it wasn't for the quick actions of his teammates and the accessibility of a defibrillator at the arena.
“For the rest of my life I will be thankful,” Menard said, noting his heart is healthy and that he is still playing hockey because of the quick response.
His remarks were a part of a presentation by Andrew Lotto, manager of resuscitation programs for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and Jean-Guy Belzile, manager of Nipissing District Emergency Medical, regarding the proposal to make the life-saving devices mandatory for new builds.
Lotto told council members that the Heart and Stroke Foundation supports the move and would one day like to see AEDs become as common in Ontario as fire extinguishers and smoke alarms.
He said a cardiac arrest occurs once every 12 minutes in Canada. And he said most cardiac arrests occur in homes and public places. Lotto said the survival rate of a decreases by 7% for every minute of delay in defibrillation. And he said the use of CPR and an AED increase the likelihood of survival by 75%.
AEDs have been installed in locations throughout the area including schools and arenas thanks to a program involving the North Emergency Medical Services and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
And Belzile told council that the machines have saved five lives since 2005. He said defibrillators have been installed in most public buildings where they are needed. And Belzile said the local program would like to now see the devices placed at sports fields.
He said private property owners are also encouraged to have them installed.
Belzile said defibrillators are much more affordable and available then they were when the local program started fundraising and purchasing the devices. At that time, he said each devices cost approximately $8,000. Today, Belzile said a defibrillator can be purchased for $1,600, or $2,500 including training.
SOURCE: Sun Media