David Fowlie’s son Michael was only 28 years old when he collapsed while cycling along Purcells Cove Road in Halifax in 2014.
It took paramedics eight minutes and 40 seconds to arrive on scene, but by then it was too late.
In the months following his son’s death, Fowlie said he couldn’t help but wonder if a nearby automated external defibrillator could have saved his life had 911 callers been made aware of its location.
“This information is withheld unless the individual is at the exact location of where the AED would be located. I believe this information should be available,” said Fowlie.
“Unfortunately, in Michael’s situation, tragically really, there was an AED a mere 700 metres away, yet no one was sent to get that AED.”
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While there is currently a registry database for the devices in Nova Scotia, the enhanced AED registry has yet to be fully rolled out, meaning there is currently no way for people to know if one is nearby. A spokesperson for the Department of Health said they expect full automation “within months.”
Under the EHS Provincial Registry Program, they currently have the capacity to notify registered AED responders of a patient’s location through AED Link, a national subscription service. However, that can only happen if AED owners register their device.
Fowlie said 911 dispatchers in western Canada already have the tools they need to tell someone where the nearest defibrillator is and give them instructions on where to get it. He said it’s imperative that Nova Scotia put the same type of system in place to prevent another tragedy.
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“I received a registered letter in January of this year indicating they would have things up and running by May. I also received another registered letter from the Emergency Health Services medical director in May indicating that this work would be completed by the end of May,” said Fowlie.
“The Department of Health and EHS are dragging their heels and this information is not available. They are far behind.”
Kyle Mohler is a first aid trainer with the Canadian Red Cross and the owner of Lifeshield Fire, Medical and Training. He said while registries help, it’s also important that the public become informed on how to use the devices.
“The best window of opportunity to correct cardiac arrest is typically in the electrical phase wherein the heart still quivers, and typically that occurs within the first three to four minutes of cardiac arrest,” said Mohler.
“Through not fault of their own, it’s not within a reasonable window of opportunity for first responders to show up, hence why public access to defibrillators can stop the clock very quickly.”
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He said as a firefighter and a paramedic, it’s rare to see public access defibrillators deployed.
“I do not want to cast blame on anyone, I would suggest simply that lack of public knowledge on the part of the public that they are there is problematic and I would like to see a system put in place wherein there’s some legislative push in getting defibrillators put in place,” said Mohler.
As of October 16th, 2017, there are 250 defibrillators registered in the EHS AED Registry.