Essex Windsor EMS is calling on the community to help map the locations of public Automatic External Defibrillators.
It is also encouraging area business owners to install AEDs in the workplace and train staff in there use.
"Minutes matter when it comes to instances of cardiac arrest and the more Automatic External Defibrillators we have in Windsor-Essex, and the more people we have trained in their use, the better,” said Essex-Windsor EMS Chief Justin Lammers.
To map the AEDs, people can download the app PulsePoint to log the exact location. This will help alert 911 callers to the closest defibrillator.
Currently, there have been around 560 defibrillators mapped locally but Essex Windsor EMS believe there are many more that aren't registered.
In 2023, bystander CPR was done on 161 occasions but AEDs were only used in 11 of those cases.
On Thursday, the owner of Post Packaging in Lakeshore was awarded a Cardiac Champion certificate for purchasing an AED for his workplace and training staff on how to use it.
Essex Windsor EMS is encouraging all Windsor-Essex employers to do the same.
“We salute any employer who wants to go the extra mile to protect their staff and customers and we will do what we can to assist them,” said Lammers. “Instances of cardiac arrest can happen anywhere at any time and we can all help each other by being better prepared.”
