November 5, 2008

Each year, thousands of Torontonians experience sudden cardiac arrest, the most serious type of cardiac event in which the heart stops beating. To mark November as CPR Month, The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO), The Province of Ontario, Toronto Emergency Medical Services and Transamerica Life are teaming up to equip communities to save more lives.
 
The Toronto EMS Cardiac Safe City program is installing 80 new Public Access Defibrillators in local community centres and other public places. This has been made possible by a $3 million grant – the largest in North American history for defibrillators – from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, complemented by a $150,000 donation from Transamerica Life Canada to the Heart & Stroke “Restart a Heart, Restart a Life” Campaign. The partnership goes further with Toronto EMS offering free courses in CPR and Public Access Defibrillation in 13 priority neighbourhoods throughout Toronto. 
 
“The odds of survival following cardiac arrest are almost four times greater if someone performs CPR immediately, and when combined with early defibrillation, AEDs can increase survival rates to 50 per cent or more if delivered in the first few minutes,” said Rocco Rossi, CEO Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. “We are very pleased with the potential of today’s announcement to save lives.”
 
“The McGuinty government’s partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Toronto’s Emergency Management Services provides increased access for life-saving equipment in local communities,” said Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best. “The month of November is CPR month and I encourage all Ontarians to participate in CPR training enabling them to save someone’s life.”
 
“We are pleased to be a part of this initiative with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario,” said Denise Nip of Transamerica Life Canada. “AEDs and the appropriate CPR training have the potential to make a huge impact on the lives of Canadians and we are really excited to assist in bringing them to priority neighbourhoods across Toronto.”
 
“We hope as many people as possible can come out for these CPR training clinics,” said Toronto EMS Chief Bruce Farr. “In cases of cardiac arrest, the use of CPR and AEDs can make the difference between life and death. We need community members to perform these life-saving skills before our paramedics arrive, to ensure the best possible chance of survival.”
 
The Toronto EMS Cardiac Safe City program oversees more than 600 Public Access Defibrillators in the Greater Toronto Area. Toronto EMS also trains 60,000 people each year in CPR and Public Access Defibrillation.