NEWS RELEASE
GREY BRUCE HEALTH UNIT
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The South Bruce Safe Communities Committee, co-led by the Grey Bruce Health Unit (GBHU), has spearheaded an initiative to create a comprehensive, up-to-date list of AED (automated external defibrillator) locations in Grey-Bruce.
AEDs — small, portable, easy-to-use medical devices that can help restart the heart of someone who has gone into cardiac arrest — can be found in community centres, halls, churches, schools, businesses, and other public places.
A map of AED sites in Bruce County can be found on Bruce County’s website, while locations in Grey County can be found on Grey County’s website.
“Having a current picture of where AEDs are located in Grey-Bruce will allow residents to know if the space they’ll be using has one of these potentially life-saving devices available. It also reveals any gaps in AED availability in Grey-Bruce and locations where new AEDs could be placed in the future,” says GBHU health promoter Kaela Sales, who co-leads the South Bruce Safe Communities Committee (SBSCC) with the Saugeen Shores Police Service.
About 35,000 cardiac arrests occur annually in Canada, with about 80 per cent happening outside of a hospital. About one in 10 victims do not survive. Performing CPR and using an AED on a person experiencing cardiac arrest can double their chances of survival.
CPR and defibrillation training/recertification is available through several local organizations.
The SBSCC is a multi-sectoral partnership that supports the implementation of a co-ordinated approach to addressing safety issues in Bruce County.
Organizations, groups, and businesses with AEDs can add their locations to the local AED lists by emailing [email protected] (Grey County) or [email protected] (Bruce County).
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