The Comox Firefighters Association has added a publicly accessible automated external defibrillator (AED) at the Comox Community Centre.

The new unit replaces an older model located inside the facility.

The Association receives many requests each year and assesses each request to determine which ones they can assist.

The firefighters plan on adding three or four new AEDs every year, at about $2000 each, and the association also provides free cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED training to community members.

Comox Fire Chief Gord Schreiner says his crew  has now assisted with placing over sixty AEDs in the area, investing over $80,000 non-taxpayer dollars into the program over the last decade.

Fewer than 10% of Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims typically survive, but studies show that 30-50% would likely survive if CPR and AEDs were used within five minutes of collapse.

For more information on the publicly accessible AED program and training programs, contact Comox Fire Rescue at firehall@comox.ca.