coffeekai / Depositphotos.com
The Lanark County Paramedic Service continues its Public Access Defibrillator program, encouraging all facilities who have an on-site AED to register it to their service.
Chief Travis Mellema says progress is being made on that front.
The LCPS want to map every AED across the county so dispatchers have that information for the public when a cardiac arrest occurs.
Mellema said 66% of the identified 230 publicly known AEDs are “ready for rescue.”
A public defibrillator in Ontario can be deemed not ready for rescue if it’s not working properly or can’t be used right away. That includes dead batteries, expired or missing pads, failed self-checks, or missing equipment.
Mellema knows this is a low percentage, but they’re working on registration first.
In January 2025, only 33% of identified AEDs were “ready for rescue.”
Story by Grant Deme
