Public Access Defibrillation Program
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee:
(1)reaffirms its support of a Public Access Defibrillation Program; and
(2)recommends that the renovations to the Toronto City Hall incorporate the installation of automatic defibrillators
in appropriate locations in City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square; that the appropriate staff be trained in the use of
automatic defibrillators; and that this program be implemented by January 1, 1999.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, having requested the
Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to report back to the Committee on:
(a)the feasibility of a Public Access Defibrillation pilot project in some City buildings;
(b)statistics on the number of people who would have benefitted had this equipment been available; and
(c)the issue of appropriate medical control.
The Emergency and Protective Services Committee submits the following communication (August 19, 1998) from
Mr. Steven Ellis, Physio-Control Canada Corporation, Richmond Hill, addressed to Councillor Fotinos:
I would like to thank you for your time and interest in meeting with me on August 17th to discuss automatic external
defibrillators. Metro's endorsement of a Public Access Defibrillation Program could potentially have extensive implications
for Toronto, for Ontario, and for all of Canada in raising public awareness on the effectiveness of early defibrillation in
treating victims of cardiac arrest.
"...an initial tachyarrythmia causes 80-90% of nontraumatic adult cardiac arrests. The goal of early defibrillation is to get a
defibrillator to these patients before they deteriorate into a nonviable rhythm, which takes only a few minutes."
"...defibrillation is the single most important intervention in adult emergency cardiac care". JAMA, 1992;268:p.2215.
This concept, clearly endorsed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, is fairly new in Canadian pre-hospital care. Metro's
commitment to a highly respected emergency medical service via universal 911 and tiered response has provided a
formidable link in the chain of survival. But in the event of sudden cardiac arrest, time is of such critical issue that fire and
ambulance response (equipped with defibrillators) are only marginally effective. Chance of survival decreases by 7-10% for
every minute a person waits for treatment.
The current technology used in the automatic external defibrillator has provided an extremely effective and safe method for
non health care professionals to deliver this life saving care.
As per our discussion, I would appreciate the opportunity to provide a brief presentation to your committee on the potential
benefits of a Public Access Defibrillation program for the citizens of Metro.
_______
Mr. Steven Ellis, Physio-Control Canada Corporation, Richmond Hill, appeared before the Emergency and Protective
Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.
Councillor John Adams, Midtown, also appeared before the Emergency and Protective Services Committee in connection
with the foregoing matter.
