The North Central Seniors Association (NCSA) was formally presented with an automated external defibrillator (AED) Friday. The AED was first set up last week.
Cardiac arrest happens every two hours in BC, according to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Using an AED and performing CPR immediately after can double or triple the chances of survival.
“We have people mostly in our 70s and lots of problems with health issues so to have this here is good for us,” said NCSA President Hennie Cook. The group gathers under the College Heights Baptist Church.
“The church has a lot of seniors too. They are fully aware of this and are able to use it.”
Six members are trained on the AED. There are different groups within the NCSA and having a half-dozen members able to use it if needed. Cook said this should provide some calmness when they meet up.
“We have different groups that meet on different days so I was hoping that in each group there would be at least one person who would be able to use it so we are fully covered.”
Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond’s Big Bike team raised the most money in the Northern BC/Yukon region, which is how the AED was able to be provided. Her team raised $11,695 this year and has brought in $44,016 over the last decade.
A cause that hits close to home for Bond, she will be looking at the provincial government for more accessibility to AEDs across BC in the near future.
“I’ve been working with Heart & Stroke to consider whether or not I could table a private member’s bill in the legislature that would look at things like registration of AEDs, maintenance of them, and expansion in particular to public buildings.”
Bond hopes to table the bill in the spring session.