| More than 40, 000 deaths occur in Canada each year as a result of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), but the chance of survival increases when cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED are used before Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrives. Public education and placing AEDs where groups of people gather can help ensure these life-saving measures are used.
In response, Alberta Health Services EMS has developed a province-wide Public Access to Defibrillation (PAD) program called Heart Safe Community. This program aims to support Alberta communities to improve access to AEDs by:
- Providing a consistent source of information about AEDs, guidelines for placement, site responsibilities, and training recommendations
- Maintaining a voluntary registry of AEDs in Alberta that is coordinated with EMS response
- Connecting with rescuers to provide feedback on the response after an AED is used
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