Northumberland Paramedics has partnered with the Town of Cobourg to station two Automated External Defibrillators at the waterfront for use during the busy summer season.
The units were in place in time for the big Waterfront Festival Weekend. They have been set up at the Waterfront Tourism Information Booth near the canteen and splash pad.
AEDs are portable medical devices that offer immediate life-saving support to those suffering sudden heart complications until paramedics can arrive. The county's press release said that immediate CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in combination with immediate access to automated defibrillation can increase the chance of survival for a victim of sudden cardiac arrest by 75% or more.
Northumberland Paramedics Chief Bill Detlor stressed the importance of having AEDs present in the community – especially in such high-traffic areas as the Cobourg waterfront during the summer months.
“The increased access to AEDs in our community allows everyday citizens to take quick and effective action in the event of a medical emergency, increasing the likelihood of a first responder being able to save a life,” Detlor said.
In 2017, Northumberland Paramedics fundraising efforts enabled them to donate six AEDs to community organizations through the Public Access Defibrillator Program. In addition to these donations, Northumberland Paramedics also participates in community AED education-and-information sessions – such as the one on July 28 that will see representatives participating in an emergency-response drill at the Cobourg waterfront.
Cobourg emergency planner Shannon Murphy expressed the town's appreciation for the partnership with Northumberland Paramedics.
“Our waterfront is an accessible, family-friendly destination that experiences enormous local and tourist traffic over the summer months,” Murphty added.
“We want people to enjoy themselves while they take in all that our great community has to offer, and enhancing the safety of our waterfront attraction is a big part of this formula.”
Community organizations interested in applying to receive an AED through the Northumberland Paramedics PAD Program may submit an application to paramedics@northumberlandcounty.ca.