The Latest Mikey Network News
The Mikey Network has donated six Mikey defibrillators (AEDs) to Tim Horton Camps in Canada and the United States through the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation (THCF). The Foundation provides encouragement, a positive environment and ongoing support for economically disadvantaged children.
The Camps are located in Parry Sound and St. George, Ontario; Kananaskis, Alberta; Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia; Quyon, Quebec and Campbellsville, Kentucky.
From the Oakville Beaver, July 2, 2010
Bernd Krumme (right) embraces YMCA fitness trainer Nestor Granados, who helped save his life after Krumme suffered a heart attack in the fitness centre last week. Granados, along with YMCA staff members Sara Pearson and Bill Joyce, kept Krumme alive until paramedics arrived. Michelle Siu / Oakville Beaver
The quick actions of three Oakville YMCA staff members are being credited with saving the life of a member, who suffered a severe heart attack at the 410 Rebecca St., facility last week.
Bernd Krumme, 46, had gone to the Oakville YMCA, when it opened at 5:30 a.m. on June 23, to sneak in a quick workout before beginning his day.
“As soon as I went on one of the cardio machines, I blacked out. I had a massive heart attack,” said Krumme. “Didn’t feel it coming at all.”
Someone saw Krumme collapse and alerted staff members Nestor Granados and Bill Joyce. They rushed into the gym to help Krumme, who was not breathing. His heart had stopped.
Granados assessed the unconscious Krumme and instructed Joyce to get the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) the YMCA had on the premises.
Granados also began CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), while Joyce got the AED and called 911.
Upon Joyce’s return, the two took turns conducting CPR on Krumme with the aid of YMCA staff member Sara Pearson, who helped set up the AED and did the breathing portion of the CPR, while the other two did portion of the CPR, while the other two did the compressions.
The AED and the CPR conducted by the staff members kept Krumme alive until paramedics arrived and took him to hospital.
“It was scary,” said Granados, reflecting on the incident. “It felt like forever before Bill came back and helped me out because he was stuck on the phone. I was very nervous, scared, but everything worked out the way it did and I’m just grateful to see him (Krumme) up and walking.”
Later, at the hospital, Krumme was shocked to learn he had a heart attack because he exercises regularly and eats healthy.
He was also astounded by the actions the YMCA staff took to save his life.
On Wednesday, one week after his heart attack, Krumme returned to the Oakville YMCA with his wife Samantha and two children Matheus, 8, and Max, 5, to offer his thanks.
After entering the building, Krumme received a round of applause from the YMCA staff, who had assembled to greet him. However, Krumme said it was the staff members who helped him, particularly Granados, who deserved the applause.
“It’s so emotional. I thought a lot about Nestor and about the others, but Nestor did the main job in this lifesaving ordeal and I thought a lot about that,” said Krumme. “I wouldn’t be here today without him. I totally owe him my life and my children owe him their dad.”
After seeing Granados, Joyce and Pearson for the first time since his heart attack, Krumme embraced each one and presented them with tokens of his thanks.
This included an official World Cup ball for Granados — a huge soccer fan.
When asked about the incident, Pearson and the others credited their training for allowing them to respond so quickly without hesitation.
“As a lifeguard, I had the training and I was ready, I knew what to do as soon as I got there,” said Pearson. “I knew how to help, I didn’t have to think I just did it.”
Oakville YMCA President and CEO Darryl McKenzie expressed pride in the actions of his staff that day.
“They had a very prompt and professional response that went well beyond what we would expect our staff to do. We’re glad we were able to have defibrillators onsite. It reinforces the importance of keeping our staff trained and certified and practicing these sorts of scenarios so when an incident like this happens we are able to respond appropriately,” said McKenzie.
“We’re just very happy there has been positive outcome for our member and we look forward to seeing him recover and come back and continue to work out at the YMCA on a regular basis.”
The Mikey Network works to promote heart healthy lifestyles. We are committed to placing “MIKEYs” (Automatic External Defibrillators) in high-risk locations to help people affected by sudden cardiac arrest.
GO Transit, in partnership with The Mikey Network and the Toronto EMS Cardiac Safe City program, is installing public-access defibrillators, called MIKEYs, on GO Trains and at stations. About 100 MIKEY defibrillators will be available across GO Transit’s extensive network.
“GO Transit carries thousands of passengers each day, and having easy-to-use defibrillators is another way GO is putting the safety of its passengers first,” said GO Transit Chairman Peter Smith. “We’re thrilled to partner with The Mikey Network and Toronto EMS to install these portable, life-saving devices that we hope won’t have to be put to the test too often.”
MIKEYs are being installed on the accessible car of every GO Train, as well as at GO stations along the Lakeshore line, at the end stations on each of GO’s other six lines, at Union Station, and at all layover facilities. GO is the first transit system in the GTA to equip its vehicles and facilities with MIKEY defibrillators.
“This announcement will increase the chances of survival and recovery for those who suffer from cardiac arrest,” said Minister of Health Promotion Margarett Best. “I congratulate GO Transit, Toronto EMS, and The Mikey Network for their partnership in helping Ontarians practice healthy, active living.”
“Today we’re taking the Network on a different track, with the installation of 100 MIKEYs in GO Transit facilities and on the trains. We’re excited about reaching out to so many GO travelers – more than 200,000 on a typical weekday – plus the staff who will also have access to the units. This is a huge expansion of the Network’s influence, and will raise awareness for our organization in a big way,” said Mikey Network Chairman Hugh Heron. “Mikey on the GO is a great name and a fantastic opportunity for The Mikey Network. We have two major goals – to place MIKEYs in as many public places as possible, and to educate the public about heart-healthy living, in the hope that the units won’t have to be used,” Heron added.
A MIKEY is a public-access defibrillator – an electronic device that delivers an electronic shock to the heart through the chest wall in order to restore the heart to its normal rhythm. The shock from a MIKEY can increase asudden cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival if it is used within thefirst critical moments following the incident, even before paramedics and emergency personnel arrive. As part of GO’s standard safety procedures and to ensure the well beingof its customers, all frontline staff are trained in CPR and first aid. With the installation of the MIKEYs, all GO personnel on board GO Trains and at train stations with a MIKEY unit have been trained by Toronto EMS on how to use the defibrillator device.
Daniel Terbenche can’t help but think how access to a defibrillator could have saved his father’s life the way one saved him after a recent cardiac arrest.
The 63-year-old Terbenche was exercising in January at Variety Village in the east end of the city when he suffered the attack. Luckily it was recognized for what it was by staff at the facility. “I don’t remember any distress or breathing problems. The need for defibrillators is quite obvious,” Terbenche said yesterday at Variety Village. His father suffered a cardiac arrest in 1969 and, with no defibrillators, it took more than six minutes to revive him, a delay that left him brain damaged. He spent the last eight years of his life in a hospital bed. “If you cater to the public and you don’t have a defibrillator you are putting people at the same risk as my dad,” he said. “I feel great. The difference between having a defibrillator available or not is the difference between me and my father.” Lynne Wallace — president of Variety, the children’s charity — says she couldn’t be more proud of her staff and their response to Terbenche’s emergency. ‘LIVING PROOF’
“Their training and diligence helped to save Mr. Terbenche’s life, but we also owe a debt of gratitude to The Mikey Network for providing Variety Village with defibrillators,” Wallace said. The network is a charitable organization boosting public awareness and providing access defibrillators to high-risk places like Variety for a timely response to saving lives before paramedics arrive. “The Mikey Network works because our efforts are guided by ongoing inspiration left by Mike Salem, our Heathwood Homes and Heron group partner and friend who died of sudden cardiac arrest on a golf course,” said Hugh Heron, chairman of the Mikey group. “And for living proof that The Mikey Network really works, Daniel Terbenche is here at Variety Village, with the four responders who helped save his life using a Mikey.” One of the responders, Shane Risto, says he was honoured to help. “I feel good I was able to receive the training and give some help,” said Risto. Toronto’s Emergency Medical Services manages more than 500 public-access defibrillators. “The program is picking up because private companies are getting involved,” said EMS spokesman Lyla Miller.
As we all know our children are our future. We love them,we cherish them,and we will do everything in our power to make sure they grow up healthy and strong.
Yet, as much as we try to protect them, even the young can develop unexpected heart problems. Indeed, there are no age barriers to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which can happen to anyone,at any time, in any location. Each year in Ontario, children and teens are among the more than 6,500 people who experience SCA. Fortunately, there’s hope for a second chance at life for many of those who do.
In 2006, Dr. Joel Kirsh, the chief physician in Cardiology and Critical Care and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at SickKids® Hospital, called Morty Henkle, Director of The Mikey Network to talk about a way to place defibrillators in schools across the GTA. Considering it an investment in Canada’s future, we launched The Mikey’s Young-At-Heart School Defibrillator Program.
The MIKEY’s installed under this program will be available to hundreds of high school and continuing education students, their teachers and school staff. The life-saving potential is even greater when you consider that schools form the heart ofour communities.
MIKEYS will also benefit all of the individuals and neighbourhood groups who regularly attend meetings, play sports,vote at their local polling stations, and participate in other special events held on school property.
Through the Mikey’s Young-At-Heart Program, we plan to work with EMS and local school boards to eventually place a MIKEY in every elementary, intermediate and secondary school in Ontario – and to ensure the beat goes on for future generations!
Life-saving heart defibrillators will soon be available at every Toronto District School Board (TDSB) secondary school, outdoor education centre, and administrative site thanks to the generous donation by The Mikey Network, a non-profit organization that places the devices in community facilities across the province.
The Mikey Network is donating 120 MIKEYS (Public Access Defibrillators), plus the cost of training of up to eight staff at each location, to the TDSB. This represents the single largest donation of defibrillators by the organization since its inception in 2003. The donation package is valued at approximately $400,000 and all MIKEYS will be installed by September 2008.
“More MIKEYS means more second chances at life for people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest,” said Hugh Heron, principal and partner in The Heron Group of Companies, President of Heathwood Homes, and Co-Founder of The Mikey Network. “We are very proud of our partnership with the TDSB in this life-saving initiative, and we can’t think of a better place to help educate the public about defibrillators than the city’s school board locations.
Toronto Emergency Services will train TDSB staff at each site on the use of defibrillators over the next year. Once the training is complete, each site is expected to have at least one trained operator available from the time the school or site opens in the morning to when the last person leaves at night.
