Press Release – Many life-saving defibrillators behind locked doors during off-hours, study finds

When a person suffers cardiac arrest, there is a one in five chance a potentially life-saving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is nearby. But up to 30 per cent of the time, the device is locked inside a closed building, according to a study led by U of T Engineering researchers, published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The work was conducted by Professor Timothy Chan of the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, in collaboration with Rescu, led by Dr. Laurie Morrison at Li Ka Shing Institute of St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

Currently, AED placement in Canada does not necessarily consider accessibility of the device during an emergency. Many AEDs are located within office buildings, schools and recreation facilities, which tend to be open for a limited set of hours during the daytime.

Full article at: U of T Engineering News

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