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Increases Public Health and Safety in Windsor
WINDSOR, ON, Aug. 1 /CNW/ - The Ontario government is moving forward with
its commitment to improve health and safety in provincial buildings by
installing life-saving portable heart defibrillators.
"Portable heart defibrillators save lives. It's a fact that cardiac
arrest victims who have access to portable heart defibrillators increase their
chances of survival by up to 50 per cent," Ontario Minister of Government
Services Gerry Phillips said. "Already two lives have been saved in Toronto -
one member of the public and one government employee. That's why we will
install 250 of these devices in close to 100 provincial government buildings
around the province."
Portable defibrillators will be installed in the Ministry of Community
and Social Services building in Windsor at 270 Erie St. E. Other Windsor
locations are being assessed and will be added shortly. There are currently 51
defibrillators in Ontario government buildings, including the Queen's Park
complex.
"I am pleased to see this life-saving program expanded to include
government buildings in Windsor," said Minister of Energy and MPP for
Windsor-St. Clair Dwight Duncan. "Sixteen to 20 per cent of cardiac arrests
occur in public places, so putting defibrillators in provincial buildings will
have a significant positive impact on the health of people in the Windsor
area."
"The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario commends the initiative of
the Government of Ontario to put automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in
government facilities and train its employees to save lives," said Rocco
Rossi, CEO.
"The foundation is also continuing its leadership role by raising funds
to place AEDs in Ontario communities through the Start a Heart, Save a Life
Campaign and the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund, because we believe that
defibrillators should become as common as fire extinguishers because they are
just as powerful in the fight to save lives," Rossi said.
Before any defibrillators units are installed, buildings will be assessed
to determine how many are required, where they should be placed and how many
staff will be trained to use them.
"This represents a significant step toward strengthening public safety in
our region," said Essex MPP Bruce Crozier. "My private member's bill, the
Heart Defibrillator Use Civil Liability Act, will build on these efforts by
encouraging the installation of AEDs to save lives right across the province."
Today's announcement is another step forward to providing Windsor
residents with better health care. The McGuinty government has also come
forward with:
<<
- An additional $33 million in multi-year funding for four hospitals
serving Windsor, Chatham-Kent and Essex County
- Creation of a medical school at the University of Windsor
- Expanded funding to improve access to quality care for people with
mental illness
- An MRI machine for Hotel Dieu hospital.
Disponible en français
www.mgs.gov.on.ca
Backgrounder
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PORTABLE DEFIBRILLATORS IN ONTARIO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
- The government has committed to installing 250 defibrillators in
provincial government-occupied buildings across the province.
- The portable defibrillator program has already saved two lives in
government offices in Toronto.
- Locations are being finalized and include sites in Windsor, London,
Kingston, Hamilton, North Bay, Oshawa, Smiths Falls, Sudbury, Thunder
Bay and many others.
- Guidelines for defibrillator use and installation have been developed
for Ontario government ministries. Ontario Public Service staff will
be given expert lead training on the use of the units.
- Defibrillators save lives and are safe to use. They are very accurate
in determining which heart rhythms should be shocked and it is
virtually impossible to deliver a shock inappropriately to victims of
cardiac arrest.
- Defibrillators are already installed in many public and private
venues, including Toronto City Hall, the Air Canada Centre, the
Rogers Centre, the Toronto Zoo, Ford Canada, GM Canada, Cadillac
Fairview, Woodbine Racetrack and Pearson International Airport.
- The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario campaign Start a Heart,
Save a Life will install defibrillators in community centres, hockey
arenas and other public gathering places, increasing the number of
units from 56 to 222.
- Bill 71, the Heart Defibrillator Use Civil Liability Act, introduced
by Essex MPP Bruce Crozier, has passed second reading in the Ontario
Legislature. This bill promotes the use of external heart
defibrillators by ensuring that users of the devices and owners and
operators of premises on which they are installed are protected from
civil liability.
Disponible en français
www.mgs.gov.on.ca
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For further information: Paul de Zara, Minister's Office, (416) 327-3072 - office, (647) 388-9671 - cell; Jason Wesley, Ministry of Government Services, (416) 327-2805
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