Fifteen new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) will be placed in various community centres around Muskoka by the end of this week.

Last week it was announced that the Utterson Community Centre, Aspdin Community Centre, Port Sydney Community Hall and Huntsville’s town hall would all be receiving new AEDs. As well, the Dwight and Baysville community centres in Lake of Bays, the Bracebridge Senior’s Centre and Sports Plex, the Gravenhurst Opera House, the MacTier Arena and Baxter Ward Community Centre in Georgian Bay, and the Port Carling, Milford Bay, Torrance and Raymond community centres in the Township of Muskoka Lakes will also be receiving new AEDs.

“We weren’t expecting one, and it certainly has come as nice surprise,” stated Stan Stillar on behalf of the Utterson Community Centre. “It’s allowing us to rest easier knowing we can use it if we need it.”

About a year ago, the provincial government gave the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario a $3 million grant to go directly toward purchasing AEDs and to cover the costs of training individuals to use them. Although AEDs vary in price, the funding allowed for approximately $3,000 to go toward purchasing an AED and the remaining $1,500 to cover the costs of training six to eight people per AED.

Terri Burton, director of emergency services for the District Municipality of Muskoka, indicated that the district submitted an application to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario requesting AEDs for close to 50 local sites, which included community centres, arenas and other public areas.

When approval was granted for the AEDs this past fall, a total of 43 people in the area who either work at the community centres or volunteer on a frequent basis underwent training and certification at the Huntsville Centennial Centre, which was led by instructors Morven Barnes, Inga Craig and Lori Fisher. While the majority of community centre representatives have completed the required training, a few have yet to finish up the training.

While Huntsville has already received two AEDs, one donated by the Huntsville Rotary Club and another from the Huntsville Oldtimers’ hockey team, Brian Harvey, president of the local chapter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, thought it would be a good idea to place an AED in another major public location. The decision was made to put the new AED at town hall so that it could be utilized by both Club 55 seniors’ centre and the Algonquin Theatre.  

“AEDs are safe and easy and can be used by a trained medical or non-medical person,” explained Burton. “Trained responders can use AEDs in public settings like arenas, community centres, other public buildings and airport terminals safely and effectively. Canada-wide stats say that between 35,000 and 45,000 Canadians have cardiac arrests annually. What we’re doing by working with the Heart and Stoke is increasing that chance of someone’s survival.”

Burton stated that last week, another application was mailed out to the foundation requesting an additional 19 AEDs to be placed at various locations across Muskoka, including four for Bracebridge, seven for Gravenhurst and eight for the Huntsville and Lake of Bays area. Three were also requested for the Township of Georgian Bay.

“It will probably at least a month by the time we know,” she said. “Part of what enabled this second round was funds that were left over from the training. We only spent what we needed.”

A free CPR training clinic will be held this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the auditorium at the Huntsville Centennial Centre. Enrollment is limited. E-mail cpranytime@sympatico.ca or call 788-9972 to register. Participants will receive a CPR completion card, an awareness course in AEDs, a presentation on the signs and symptoms of stroke and a free family and friends CPR Anytime Kit (one per family).