The Latest Mikey Network News
We often get questions about our MIKEYs – who should use them, when they should be used, how they work, and more. Last week, we received a wonderful photo of a student checking a MIKEY defibrillator at the University of Waterloo, which made us think that we should share a list of things everyone should know about using a MIKEY AED.
Below is a list of questions and answers that we often get about our MIKEY defibrillators as well as some tools on how to properly check and test them.
You should be checking to make sure that your MIKEY defibrillator is working at least once a month. This is essential to ensure that your MIKEY is in working order and is ready to save a life if the need should arise.
To check if it is, use our monthly check up manual available in the link below.
The Mikey Network Monthly Maintenance Manual
Anyone can use a MIKEY. Yes, even you. You don’t have to be a medical professional to use a MIKEY and save a life! Just follow along to the instructions. It’s safe and easy for anyone to use.
When someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in a public place, the most critical actions a bystander can take are to call 9-1-1, and deliver cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to provide blood flow to the heart and brain. One person can do this while another runs to look for a nearby MIKEY (AED). Once they return with an AED, you can start preparing to operate a charge.
The MIKEY automatically assesses the situation and diagnoses if there are potentially life-threatening heart rhythms. If, and only if, the AED detects a problem that may respond positively to an electric shock, it permits a shock to be delivered to restore a normal heart rhythm.
The MIKEY gives simple audio instructions designed for ordinary people. You just open the case and follow the instructions that are delivered through voice prompts. Some MIKEYs automatically provide a shock and some require you to push a button. The MIKEY will tell you when and if you should push the button to deliver a shock.
Did you know it’s impossible to be sued for using a MIKEY to help someone? Every province has legislation protecting bystanders from lawsuits when they are only trying their best to help someone in an emergency – even if something goes wrong.
Need to find a MIKEY? We have placed over 2000 MIKEY’s all over the world, see where the nearest one is to you.
With the rising temperatures across Canada, government agencies have been sending out warnings to citizens about the risk of extreme heat.
This heat has largely affected the areas of Southern Ontario, Quebec and the East Coast. With 15 deaths in Quebec already this summer, now more than ever is a good time to know how to prepare yourself against the extreme heat.
Most Canadians think that extreme heat can only affect the elderly, but often it can affect people who are suffering from illnesses, and those with heart conditions. We’ve created a list of criteria to follow that you can use to prepare yourself and your loved ones for the heat of the summer.
For this list, we referenced an advisory from the Red Cross. If you need more advice on heat waves or an understanding of how to respond to different emergencies, we recommend using their site as it has many great resources.
With the summer season upon us, it means that many Canadians will be taking full advantage of the outdoors. Summer allows us to enjoy activities that we wouldn’t normally have the ability to do the rest of the year as the environment is often too cold.
For these reasons, Canadians tend to gravitate towards BBQing and eating outdoors as primary summer activities.
The change in climate doesn’t always provide you with the best benefits though, as foods that you reserve for summer can also bring a lot of risk to your diet. Many of us are prone to gravitating towards less healthy choices that might be higher in fat, such as burgers and hot dogs.
With it being the Canada Day long weekend, we wanted to provide alternatives to the normal summertime food fare, so we reached out to our registered dietitian, Marsha Rosen, to share some of her favourite summertime heart-healthy meals.
Summer Fruit Smoothie Ice Pops
Recipes From Our Resident Expert, Marsha Rosen, RD
Here are some heart-healthy recipes provided by Marsha Rosen, RD (Registered Dietitian). Marsha is Mike Salem’s sister and in addition to offering private nutrition counselling, Marsha provides group lectures, seminars and cooking demonstrations.
If you have a nutrition question for our dietitian, you can email Marsha here…
Do you have a heart-healthy recipe that you would like to share? Send your recipes to info@mikeynetwork.com
We have officially started the summer season and now more than ever is the perfect time to give your heart health a boost while having fun. To help you get moving and enjoying the beautiful outdoors, we’ve shared some of our favourite activities to do during the summer.
There are so many benefits to walking regularly for your heart health. It’s affordable, accessible, helps you to burn unwanted calories and it’s simple to master. More importantly, especially during the summer, it allows you to go places you may have never gone and discover more of the great outdoors. Most research studies suggest that from three to five hours of walking a week is the optimum for improving health.
A great summer’s day outing with walking in mind is to plan for a picnic in a park. This is an easy activity that every member of your family can do, and can build into a range of other games and sports that more active members of your family can take part in.
Dust off that bike that’s been sitting in your garage all winter and use it to explore. Biking (depending on how far you go) can be one of the next easiest activities to do. During the summer there is so much to see, so hop on that bike with a friend or loved one and see what your city has to offer.
Make sure to stay well-hydrated while on your biking adventures. You’re more likely to be going further distances, so make sure that you have plenty of snacks and water with you to stay properly energized.
This is simply a no-brainer. What better thing to do when there’s sweltering heat than to go to the local pool and cool off during the hotter days of the summer. Many municipalities and city’s have pools that are open to the public; some of them are even free to use! Check out what facilities are available in your area and plan for a day to get a nice tan and to cool off.
Make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen with you when you go to a pool. Often people will apply and then will jump in the pool. This, unfortunately, takes off of that layer of protection that you just put on and leaves you vulnerable to getting a very bad burn. Make sure to re-apply each time you leave the pool and plan to sit in the summer sun.
If you’re playing a sport it doesn’t always have to be an activity where you’re completely sweating the entire time. Look to join activities that are fun, active and won’t leave you feeling fatigued. Some of our go to’s are Tennis, Golfing, Lawn bowling and simply throwing around a frisbee.
If you need some ideas for other summer activities, we recommend checking out the Participaction website. It has a library full of activities that you can do either by yourself or with others, to keep active.
