NEWS RELEASE
SAVESTATION
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Firefighter Kevin Ashby and his wife Michelle recently hosted a CPR & AED Workshop for their Shering Crescent neighbours in the community of Stroud. This training event followed their successful crowdfunding initiative, which saw them raise funds for the first residential SaveStation in Innisfil. This SaveStation Automated External Defibrillator (AED) cabinet is now mounted on the side of their 2822 Shering Crescent home.
After placing the SaveStation, the next step was providing awareness and education to those living nearby on how to use the AED contained inside. Interested neighbours participated in a workshop where they learned CPR and how to use the AED, which are designed to be easy to operate, even by a lay rescuer. Once it's turned on, the AED provides clear audio instructions of the steps to follow.
Both Ashby and his wife are aware of the need for quick action in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest. It can happen to anyone at any time, and when it strikes, every second matters. For every minute that defibrillation is delayed, the chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent.
Says Ashby of the workshop, “the biggest takeaway for the participants was that the AED is not intimidating, it will provide instructions and analyze the person automaticaly. Also, that in an emergency any help is better than doing nothing.”
The majority of sudden cardiac arrests occur in public places or in homes, and so placing a SaveStation on the side of a home provides 24/7 protection to a group of homeowners. The SaveStation is clearly marked for public use and being mounted on the side of the house ensures that the AED inside is available for anyone in the neighbourhood to access. The technology built into this SaveStation allows for monitoring of the AED to ensure it is always ‘ready for rescue’ and it will take a picture when the cabinet is opened.
This community SaveStation is not only for the area residents, but meant for anyone in need. This could be somebody out for a walk or visiting the nearby park. Although this is the first residential outdoor SaveStation placed in Innisfil, last month, Innisfil's first public SaveStation was installed at Innisfil Beach Park thanks to the sponsorship of the Peggy Hill Team and Mortgage Wellness. Stroud is also home to George Padanyi, a cardiac arrest survivor who is raising money to have another SaveStation placed outside the Innisfil Recreation Centre: Help Make Innisfil Cardiac Safe.
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