All Surrey secondary schools to get AEDs next month, says district board
A Surrey mother whose son had an unexplained sudden cardiac arrest earlier this summer says she is overjoyed to learn automatic external defibrillators, or AEDs, will be installed in every Surrey high school next month.
Esmeralda Gomez became a vocal AED advocate after her then14-year-old son Alex Romero Gomez went into cardiac arrest at a recreation centre gym in July. Staff revived him by performing CPR and using an AED to shock his heart.
“I was so excited to hear that every secondary school will have AED machines,” Gomez said.
She had launched a petition urging the school board to put in AEDs at all Surrey schools.
“It’s so necessary,” she said.
In Canada, up to 45,000 people die each year of sudden cardiac arrest. The survival rate outside of a hospital is about five to 10 per cent, but increases to 75 per cent if CPR and AED are used in the first few minutes.
Because the cause of Alex’s sudden cardiac arrest remains unknown, Gomez was worried about what would happen if his heart stops again while he is at school.
The coming AEDs, however, give her a sense of security, she said. “They will be there in case he ever needs it, or if anyone needs it.”
Ritinder Matthew, spokeswoman for the Surrey school district, said all secondary schools will be equipped with the devices and staff will be trained to use them by the end of November.
The machines will be installed in 20 secondary schools and four other district buildings, including the district education centre and the Bell Performing Arts Centre.
The decision to install the devices was made in May, said Matthew. “The case of the student in the summer reinforced the fact these are needed.”
The school board wanted to take a proactive approach, said chair Laurie Larsen, adding safety was the board’s top priority. “These devices need to be accessible when they are needed.”
The purchase and installation of the AEDs cost about $50,000.
In B.C., the province does not require schools to have AEDs, although some school districts including Coquitlam, New Westminster and Delta, have decided to install them on their own.
The Vancouver school board is sticking to its long-standing policy of only student-specific AEDs for students with a known risk and who have submitted a medical plan.
The Ministry of Education said the provincial health officer is continuing to work with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to review evidence on AEDs in schools, but at this point is not recommending placement of the devices in all schools.
Gomez said she believes the province should install the devices both for the welfare of students and school staff at all schools. “It should be a provincial thing,” she said. “But one step at a time.”