We are pleased to announce that over the coming weeks Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) will be installed at all UFA Farm & Ranch Supply store facilities. An AED is used to help those experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest. It's a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart's rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.
We know that cardiac arrests do not discriminate on how old you are, or whether you are male or female. Each year in Canada 40,000 people die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest and it’s the number one cause of death amongst school aged children.
Kim Ruether is a UFA member who farms near Fairview, Alberta. She knows all too well that it can strike anytime without warning.
“It was a regular day in May and our sixteen year old son Brock had volleyball practice that evening. Without warning he collapsed face-down in the school gym and 911 was called. Brock was in Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Teachers and friends tried to help with CPR and there was an AED on site; however, it wasn’t used it right away and without defibrillation shock Brock's chance at life decreased to 0% in that most critical first few minutes. Thirteen minutes after Brock's collapse, EMS used their defibrillator but it was too late and Brock was gone.”
“Our lives, and the lives of those who tried to help Brock, were forever changed that night. I don’t want any other family to go through what we’ve been through, that’s why it’s critical to educate people in our schools and communities about Sudden Cardiac Arrest and about defibrillators and how to use them.
Learning that all UFA Farm & Ranch Supply stores are going to have this life-saving equipment on site, makes me incredibly proud to be a member. I am so grateful to UFA for making this a priority,” says Ruether.
The AEDs are installed at the service counter of every Farm & Ranch Supply store so that the units are easily accessible to not only our own staff, but for customers and neighbours as well.
“We saw this investment as an important Health & Safety initiative to ensure that we are providing the necessary tools on the job to provide the fastest and most effective way to help people survive a Sudden Cardiac Arrest,” says UFA Chief Operating Officer, Glenn Bingley.
Now that we will have these units on site, the best way for you to be able to help is to familiarize yourself with their location and to know how to use them by getting your First Aid and CPR Certification. Having an AED on-site, calling 911, providing CPR and knowing when and how to use an AED is the best assurance that a worker or customer will receive prompt treatment.
Visit here to learn more about Sudden Cardiac Arrest, the chain of survival, and to read more about Brock's story.
