Media Release: ydsquare.ca
Yonge-Dundas (soon to be Sankofa) Square adds publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device to its site.
Nestled within the vibrant pulse of Yonge-Dundas (soon to be Sankofa) Square stands a new publicly accessible SaveStation Tower. The outdoor SaveStation houses a lifesaving Automated External Defibrillator (AED), ensuring 24/7 public access during cardiac emergencies.
The Square, located at the busiest intersection in Canada, hosts festivals, concerts, celebrations, and more each year, attracting thousands of attendees in addition to the over 30 million visitors who frequent the area annually.
“We are thrilled that this life-saving device is now located in our community,” said Julian Sleath, general manager of Yonge-Dundas (soon to be Sankofa) Square. “This SaveStation will enhance safety in Downtown Toronto every single day, but especially during the many special events that attract visitors to our area. We would like to thank the team at SaveStation for providing this equipment.”
SaveStation can be found beside the Square’s stage, in front of the security office. The AED is safe to use, does not require specialized training, and provides instructions in both English and French.
The outdoor SaveStation technology, paired with the Zoll AED 3, ensures the device is always ‘ready for rescue’. It is built to tolerate extreme weather—rain or shine, winter or summer. Additionally, a built-in camera acts as a security feature, capturing a series of photos each time the cabinet is opened, along with an alarm that will alerts others of an active emergency.
Sudden cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate; it can strike anyone, anywhere, at any time. And when it does, mere moments can tip the scales between life and loss. According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, for every minute that defibrillation is delayed, the chance of survival decreases by 10%. In Canada, more than 60,000 people suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year. Currently, only around 10% of people survive. Studies show that the immediate use of an AED combined with CPR can increase the likelihood of survival by 75% or more. Unfortunately, all too often, AEDs are not publicly accessible.
The Yonge-Dundas Square SaveStation is the second one in the city of Toronto, with the first being located at the base of the CN Tower. Over 1,200 SaveStations have been placed in Outdoor Environments throughout North America within the last few years, with 3 ‘saves’ to date.
So next time you’re in the Square, take note of that SaveStation Tower—it might save your life or that of someone you know.
