By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
Two new automated external defibrillators have been added to the Lighthouse Cove area.
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable lifesaving device that quickly and safely determines whether a patient’s heart would benefit from a “shock” of energy.
“Thank you to the Lighthouse Cove Lions Club for purchasing a new automated external defibrillator (AED) that is accessible to the public 24/7 on the outside wall of the variety store,” said EMS chief Justin Lammers, at a recent press conference. “Sudden Cardiac arrest is a big problem and it’s going to take all of us together to address and improve those outcomes. Healthcare in our current landscape, we’re facing challenges…we have a committed team that’s trying to do the best we can. In a well-run system, even if we can get here in six minutes, that six minutes that someone can be doing something to save a life.”
Lammers presented Municipality of Lakeshore councillor Larissa Vogler with a Cardiac Champion Award for the Lions Club. She and the other Lighthouse Cove residents are also Cardiac Champions for taking a CPR and AED Awareness session with paramedics Dave Thibodeau and Mitchell Laird recently.
“What you have done here in Lighthouse Cove as a group is impressive,” said Lammers. “We have a big vision for what we can achieve and have residents and neighbours to help-out. We appreciate everything they are doing to be prepared to help save lives!”
Essex-Windsor EMS and Lighthouse Cove Community Group recently hosted the free CPR and AED Awareness Session. AEDs are simple to use. You can literally follow step-by-step voice prompts from the AED in the event of an emergency.
“Thanks to the Thames River Yacht Club in Lighthouse Cove and Commodore Joe MacVoy, for being Cardiac Champions!” said Lammers. “The club has a publicly accessible AED and members are planning to learn more about how to use it and CPR to help save lives.”
Councillor Vogler shared that the community response has been amazing, with 16 residents taking part in the training sessions with more to come.
“Unfortunately, we have slower response times out here because of our geological distance from EMS location points,” said Vogler. “This can help to make a difference when every second counts.”
Next steps in the process include communication with the Municipality for some additional support when the Fire Master Plan comes before council this month.
“We’ll have a better sense of what the Municipality can do to help, what the recommendations are and can move forward on the issue.” added Vogler.
Maintenance and upkeep of the units will be done regularly, with monitoring of the devices done digitally through administrators. The next step is to purchase a heated case, so there is 24/7 access to the unit during the cold weather.
Essex-Windsor EMS is building a registry of all publicly available AEDs, so that dispatchers can direct members of public at the scene of an emergency to the nearest one.
Essex-Windsor EMS is using PulsePoint to map the publicly accessible AEDs in our region. You can find and help them to map publicly accessible AEDs on the PulsePoint website or you can use the PulsePoint AED app.
“Minutes matter when emergencies strike, so please assist us with this important initiative.” said paramedic Dave Thibodeau. “The more AEDs we have in our community and the more people who are able to use them, the greater the odds of survival when cardiac arrests strike.”
You can become a Cardiac Champion.
Businesses, organizations and groups of individuals across Essex County and Windsor are making a difference by fundraising, purchasing AEDs and learning how to use them. Essex-Windsor EMS recognizes them with Cardiac Champion Awards.
