Source: SaskToday
Life-Saving AED Now Accessible Year-Round at Churchill Park
ESTEVAN — Estevan took an important step towards improving public health and safety Wednesday, unveiling its first outdoor automated external defibrillator (AED) SaveStation at Churchill Park.
Community leaders gathered to inaugurate the new installation, designed to provide 24/7 access to an AED in cases of sudden cardiac arrest – a condition in which an immediate response is essential to survival.
The opening ceremony saw attendance from Estevan Mayor Roy Ludwig, city councillors and staff, and members of the Estevan Police Service, Estevan Fire Rescue Service and Estevan EMS.
Estevan safety co-ordinator Helen Fornwald underscored the importance of such installations in preventing fatalities, stating, “In Canada, approximately 2,000 people suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year, but unfortunately, only 10 per cent survive. When sudden cardiac arrest strikes, every second counts.”
She highlighted that public AEDs play a vital role in bridging this gap, adding, “Every minute that goes by, the chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent. Brain damage will start to set in after four to six minutes, and it’s irreversible after 10 minutes. Studies show that the immediate use of an AED combined with CPR can drastically increase the likelihood of survival.”
Ludwig addressed the group, expressing his gratitude for the community’s collective effort in making the SaveStation possible, including support from CPKC Rail, which contributed over $11,000 in grant funding.
To read more visit: SaskToday
