For Immediate Release
February 06, 2007

BACKGROUNDER: PORTABLE DEFIBRILLATORS IN ONTARIO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

• The government has committed to installing 250 defibrillators in provincial government-occupied buildings across the province
• The portable defibrillator program has already saved two lives in government offices in Toronto
• Locations are being finalized and include sites in Windsor, London, Kingston, Hamilton, North Bay, Oshawa, Smiths Falls, Sudbury, Thunder Bay and many others.
• Guidelines for defibrillator use and installation have been developed for Ontario government ministries. Ontario Public Service staff will be given expert lead training on the use of the units
• Defibrillators save lives and are safe to use. They are very accurate in determining which heart rhythms should be shocked and it is virtually impossible to deliver a shock inappropriately to victims of cardiac arrest
• Defibrillators are already installed in many public and private venues, including  Toronto City Hall, the Air Canada Centre, the Rogers Centre, the Toronto Zoo, Ford Canada, GM Canada, Cadillac Fairview, Woodbine Racetrack and Pearson International Airport
• The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario campaign Start a Heart, Save a Life will install defibrillators in community centres, hockey arenas and other public gathering places, increasing the number of units from 56 to 222
• Bill 71, the Heart Defibrillator Use Civil Liability Act, introduced by Essex MPP Bruce Crozier, has passed second reading in the Ontario Legislature. This bill promotes the use of external heart defibrillators by ensuring that users of the devices and owners and operators of premises on which they are installed are protected from civil liability.

Contacts:
Paul de Zara
Minister’s Office
416-327-3072 

Ciaran Ganley
Ministry of Government Services
416-325-8659