Dave Pineau’s wife delivered CPR on a 90-year old man who collapsed at a Winnipeg McDonald’s. The family of an elderly man who died of a heart attack after collapsing at a Winnipeg McDonald’s restaurant and those who tried to save him stated that defibrillators should be placed in restaurants.
Accessibility of defibrillators
According to Dave Pineau, he was with his family celebrating the birthday of his 4-year old son when they saw a 90-year old Charles Bryant Hodge collapse. Pineau’s wife performed CPR until the arrival of the paramedics about 10 minutes later, but Hodge died.
There was no automated external defibrillator (AED) at the restaurant. Pineau launched a social media campaign that urges the fast-food restaurant chain to install the emergency devices at its locations. If the device was available, the outcome would have been a different one.
Importance of AEDs
An automated external defibrillator (AED) contains electrodes that can identify the cardiac rhythms and administer a shock to fix abnormal electrical activity in the heart.
When a defibrillator is used along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), it can drastically improve the survival rates by more than 75% than with CPR alone during a cardiac arrest.
According to Manitoba’s Defibrillator Public Access Act, AEDs must be installed in “high-traffic” public places such as arenas, gyms, golf courses, community centers, airports, and schools. Other areas that are required to have AEDs include casinos, major shopping malls, museums, major sporting venues, cultural centers, courthouses as well as the Winnipeg Convention Centre and Manitoba legislative building.
Importance of first aid training
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) can save a life. Prompt delivery of life-saving techniques improves the chances of survival during emergencies.
For more information about this story, click here.
LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a CPR and AED class and for more information, check out these sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation