By James Bowler

Saving a life is as easy as A-E-D

Jan 17, 2013 | 11:11 AM

How do you save a life? Just look for the AED near you – there are 75 in and around Prince Albert.

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are small electronic devices that can be used to save a person’s life who has gone into cardiac arrest before the paramedics arrive on scene.

Lyle Karasiuk of Parkland Ambulance said the devices are easy to use and can be used by anyone.

He said that Parkland Ambulance has been on a mission to distribute these devices across the city.

“Over the last few years, Parkland Ambulance has made a commitment to place AEDs out in the community,” said Karasiuk. “A number of businesses have the devices in and around Prince Albert, from golf courses to swimming pools to schools to community clubs to churches to public places like shopping centers and hockey rinks, the list goes on.”

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On Thursday, Karasiuk set up the first AED at City Hall.

Project Coordinator for Community Services Don Cheeseman was on hand explain why City Hall chose to have a device set up in the building.

“We have them in the other facilities so we felt that in City Hall here we should have one for the public and the staff,” said Cheeseman. “Obviously if there is any issue, someone comes in and collapses we have a way to help them out.”

The unit itself costs about $2,500 – which comes out of the city budget – but with two of the units used within the last two weeks, they are a definite necessity.

“A 17-year-old out at the hockey rink in St. Louis and a visitor to another facility here in the city, happened to be complaining of chest pain, walked into a medical area where there was help and collapsed there, and was subsequently resuscitated and was taken to hospital and is doing fine there.”

The second incident occurred at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary where another AED is set up.

Both individuals are recovering after being rescued by everyday citizens who got to the AED units.

Karasiuk said that while these units are expensive to set up they are invaluable to have, but for those community groups that may not have a budget for these devices there are community grants that can be used to pay for them.

“Sometimes there are grants available for public sites and in fact we’re going through that granting process right now,” said Karasiuk. “So we’re looking to place some units thanks to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. We’re looking to place some public sites.”

Rhea Ann Bromley, Director of Communications with the Saskatchewan Heart & Stroke Foundation said that in partnership with Boston Pizza, the Cowan Foundation and the NHLPA.

“We had a program running with the NHL Players Association called the Beard-A-Thon,” said Bromley. “Where people were encouraged to grow playoff beards and gather pledges and that funding was also used to buy some of these units.”

This year 13 units were donated across the province to various health regions. The program is ongoing through the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

If you feel that your public site could use an AED, you can call Lyle Karasiuk at 953-8358.

jbowler@panow.com

Twitter: @journalistjim