London Drugs stores are the first private-sector establishments in Richmond to have publicly accessible Automatic Electronic Defibrillators (AED) registered with the BC Emergency Health Services’ new registry.
Meanwhile, the City of Richmond leads the way in placing AEDs at public venues
The new, online registry allows 911 dispatchers to inform a first responder that an AED is nearby.
Portable AEDs are easy to use by anyone and have a simple set of instructions inside the box. First responders to a heart attack incident attach the AED to the patient’s chest and push a button to activate it.
Using an AED in the first moments can save a life and prevent other serious injuries.
When used with CPR in the first 10 minutes of a sudden cardiac arrest, the chance of surviving such an episode increases from five per cent to up to 75 per cent, as per the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
“We advocate to all public facilities to have their AEDs readily available to the public,” said Shelley Parker, a program manager at HSF.
The City of Richmond has 30 AEDs in public spaces such as pools, ice rinks and parks and is in the process of registering with Health Services as it just opened this week.
“The City of Richmond has an excellent system set up that sends a number of alarms and signals as soon as an AED cabinet door is opened,” noted Parker.
The foundation advocates for other large gathering places to have registered and publicly accessible AEDs.
In April the Richmond News reported that large malls in Richmond have their AEDs under lock and key.
At the very least, Parker said the foundation would like all AEDs registered.
“We would like to see everyone (private, public, companies, groups, individuals with an AED at home) registering the AEDs whether they are accessible by the public or not. It helps to organize an event if the 911 dispatcher can tell a caller that there is an AED in the mall and that it’s accessible by contacting security or an information desk,” she said, adding some groups have a concern about vandalism or theft and choose to keep their AEDs out of public view.
“While there is always a risk of this — as with any piece of equipment that the public has access to — we find that most people are respectful of emergency equipment, like fire extinguishers, and use it only when it’s needed,” said Parker.
