Introduction
Thank you for your consideration of AEDs for your buildings. Equipping your facilities with AEDs allows you to be prepared for a cardiac crisis. Most public buildings and many private buildings now have AEDs as they have been proven to help save lives.
Company Background
Vita First Aid (Vita) exists to help save lives by making AEDs more accessible. We are AED specialists and work with companies, large and small, across Canada. Vita is a Zoll authorized distributor. We are a full service provider and sell and service AEDs. In addition to sales and service we also offer AED training and inspections.
The Data
In Canada, over 40,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) each year. This is one person every 12 minutes or over 100 people per day. With CPR alone, the rate of survival is only 5%. When an AED is readily available, the rate of survival jumps to 75%.
The reason why it is so critical for AEDs to be in buildings is that when a person experiences sudden cardiac arrest they have only approximately 10 minutes to survive. With each minute that passes the person's chance of survival decreases by 10% per minute that defibrillation is delayed. After three minutes a person's brain begins to die due to lack of oxygen. The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends a rapid collapse-to-shock goal of 3 minutes to give the victim the greatest chance of survival.
It would be great if EMS was able to arrive in time to help most people who are experiencing SCA, but logistically this is simply not possible.
People do not need to worry about hurting someone when using an AED. The unit is able to analyze a person's heart rhythm to determine if a shock is needed. An AED will not shock a normal heart rhythm.
Ontario Government Legislation
In the past the Ontario government has passed several bills that protect people from any liability associated with performing CPR or using an AED. These include:
The Good Samaritan Act: Good Samaritan Act, 2001, SO 2001, c. 2 and
The Chase McEachern Act: Chase McEachern Act (Heart Defibrillator Civil Liability), 2007, SO 2007, c. 10, Sched. N.
People in the first aid industry have been lobbying for years for AEDs to become required. Ontario Bill 141 received royal assent in June 2020. This bill is the first step towards having AEDs required in all buildings similar to fire extinguishers. Many people already know how to use AEDs. This is because First Aid/CPR training programs that organizations and companies are required to complete began including AED training as part of their programs years ago. Thankfully, the Ontario government is now catching up with this current legislation.
Bill 141 is the Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act, 2020. This new legislation will increase public access to life saving AEDs. Many lives will be saved as a result of this bill.
Bill 141, Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act, 2020
Here is a summary of what this bill includes:
> AEDs to be required in public premises
> AEDs to be required in other designated premises
> AEDs to be installed in the correct locations
> AEDs to have appropriate signage
> AEDs to be maintained & tested
> AED training to be completed
> AEDs to be registered with 911
We do not yet know which buildings will be required to comply with these requirements. We expect to have the details from the government soon. We recommend that organizations and companies not wait, but get ahead of these requirements. Products are becoming more limited due to Covid-19 and Bill 141.
Product Recommendation
The AED we recommend is the Zoll AED 3. The ability to switch between adult and child rescue at the press of a button is revolutionary. Other units still require separate child pads to be purchased. This is an extra cost and time must also be spent to change pads at the time of a rescue. The Zoll AED 3 pads and batteries both last for 5 years. The real-time CPR feedback feature helps ensure that compressions are completed effectively. Despite having a higher upfront cost, the Zoll unit actually costs less over a five year period and has many additional features.
Pricing
In addition to offering competitive product pricing we also offer training and inspection services.
We are very pleased to provide you with this quotation:
Zoll AED 3 - $1,995.00/unit + HST
Each complete solution includes:
- One AED - 8 Year Warranty
- Battery Installed (5 Years)
- Universal Adult/Child pads Installed (5 Years)
- Rescue Kit
- Video Training
- Tracking of Pads & Batteries
- Ongoing Technical Support
Options:
> AED Alarmed Cabinet - $299.00 or AED Wall Mount - $70.00
> 3-Way AED Wall Sign - $18.00
> AED Carry Case - $149.99
Conclusion
There is no time to waste when it comes to equipping your facilities with AEDs. SCA can occur at any time and in any place without warning. Being prepared can help save a life and that life could in fact be your very own.
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