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Februrary 18, 2009 Kamloops Facilities Becoming Safer Kamloops, B.C. - The City of Kamloops has installed public access Automated External Defibrillators (AED's) in most of its public facilities to support quicker critical response to victims of sudden cardiac arrest and increase the likelihood of survival and quality of life. Increasing public access to AED's in community facilities is unique amongst Canadian municipalities and strengthens Kamloops' Community Chain of Survival, a framework encouraged by the Heart & Stroke Foundation that includes early recognition of cardiac arrest, early access to 911, early CPR and early defibrillation. Currently, AED's can be found at the following facilities:
Other facilities such as City Hall, Kamloops Museum, Old Courthouse, Sagebrush Theatre and McArthur Island Soccer Clubhouse will also contain AED's in the coming months. The next phase of the program is to increase public awareness and major user groups' knowledge of the AED program in the facilities they use. The City is positioning itself to become regional leaders in AED training and will be hosting AED Instructor training courses starting in April 2009. To date 130 city employees have been trained in AED awareness. The City is using a 'public access' model which means the AED equipment is located in an open location and is available for use by the public in an emergency. Regular users of facilities with AED's should familiarize themselves with the location of the AED and telephone so that they can respond quickly to a medical emergency. While the high-tech AED's are extremely user-friendly, for instance a voice prompt explaining each step, people are encouraged to learn CPR and more about AED's at courses offered by the city and other local agencies. - 30 - Media Contact:
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