Latest Coverage of The Mikey Network In the News.

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CTV News Barrie Covers Mikey Young At Heart App

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ctv barrie mikey app

It’s an exciting time for The Mikey Network! We’re seeing a lot of interest from the media about our new Mikey Young At Heart app. Yesterday CTV Barrie did a news segment about the app at Humberview Secondary School in Caledon.

Grade 12 student AJ Wilson talked about how prominent the MIKEY defibrillator is at his high school, right near the front doors. AJ himself has been trained in how to use the MIKEY and said that he would like to see AED training integrated as part of the student’s Health curriculum, along with physical education.

Our president Eva Naumvoski was interviewed by Roger Klein about our app. She spoke about the app not only teaching students CPR and AED skills, but also giving them the community service hours they need to graduate high school in Ontario.

You can read the article on CTVNews.ca and watch the video below.
http://barrie.ctvnews.ca/new-app-launches-to-educate-students-on-aed-s-1.2579821


TechTalk with Marc Saltzman Highlights Mikey App

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TechTalk

Our President Eva Naumovski was recently on NewsTalk 1010’s Tech Talk with Marc Saltzman discussing The Mikey Network’s mission and our brand new Mikey Young At Heart App.

Eva talked about how we’re engaging students in learning basic AED skills. The app has various courses that teenagers complete to gain the community service hours they need to graduate high school in Ontario.

Eva also talked about the 1800 MIKEY defibrillators we have placed in the community, as well as the 27 lives that have been Saved By A Mikey, including five who were saved in schools. She discussed the fact that when it comes to cardiac arrest, time is of the essence. EMS takes an average of eight minutes to arrive at a call, but sufferers lose 10% of their brain function every minute they are in cardiac arrest. That’s why making MIKEYs publicly accessible is so important.

You can listen to the interview below at the 12:00 minute mark.

Mikey Young At Heart App Featured on CTV News

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Exciting news! CTV featured The Mikey Network and our new Mikey Young At Heart app on their Health News segment this week.

Reporter Pauline Chan talked to a group of students at Clarkson Secondary School in Peel about the app and it’s possibilities.

Using short, educational videos and quizzes, this app not only teaches students life-saving CPR and AED skills, but helps them earn the volunteers hours they need to graduate.

The Mikey Young At Heart app is available on iTunes, the Google Play store, or online.

You can view the video here on the CTV news website.

pauline chan mikey app

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We want to say thank you to all the lovely students who helped us out on their summer break. They were real stars!

The Mikey Network is Working with OCA To Make Going To Camp Safer and More Worry-Free

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

THE MIKEY NETWORK IS WORKING WITH OCA TO MAKE GOING TO CAMP SAFER AND MORE WORRY-FREE

Sending your kids to camp is an annual experience for many Canadian parents. At the same time they can’t help but worry about them being away – often out in a rather remote location — and how long it might take an ambulance to arrive if a medical emergency should happen.

Now the Ontario Camps Association and The Mikey Network have come together, and are working to bring more peace of mind to the camping experience for everyone.

Each is an organization that cares about the health and welfare of our children and our community, and now they have announced a new initiative to help place MIKEY defibrillators in camps across Ontario. As part of the Mikey Young at Heart program, The Mikey Network is now making AED defibrillators available to all OCA member camps at a special reduced price.

“We’re thrilled to be working with the OCA to install MIKEYs across the province’s summer and year-round camps, all while providing greater peace of mind to campers, parents, administrators and staff,” said Eva Szypulska, President of The Mikey Network.

“After seeing a close friend pass away from Sudden Cardiac Arrest, we made a pledge to provide the Canadian public with the necessary tools to save lives. This announcement moves us one step closer to achieving that goal.”

Heather Heagle, Executive Director of Ontario Camps Association, is equally committed to the program. “Our member camps are each unique, and together they serve a diverse community,” she says. “But they are all committed to providing the safest and happiest camping experience possible for Ontario kids, and having a MIKEY at each camp will help us achieve just that.”

Andrew Martin, Owner-Director of Camp Can-Aqua, is ahead of the curve and already has a defibrillator at his camp on the shores of Beaver Lake in Cardiff, Ontario.

“Camp Can-Aqua has been fortunate enough to have a MIKEY AED on-site since 2010,” says Martin. “As standards pertaining to CPR continue to change and evolve to include the use of AED’s, having the unit on hand was an essential step in managing our health and safety protocols. It also provides staff and parents with peace of mind in knowing that if anyone within our camp community suffered Sudden Cardiac Arrest, we have the tools readily available to assist.”

“In addition to staff being trained on the proper use of the AED, Can-Aqua now teaches campers enrolled in certain swim training levels how to follow the systems clear and simple steps. AED training and awareness is something we think all organizations should be actively taking part in.”

Although, thankfully, Camp Can-Aqua has never needed to use the unit, they feel better knowing it is ready and on hand should an emergency arise.

Founded in the 1930’s, the Ontario Camps Association is dedicated to enabling children to learn new skills, make new friends and have fun in a safe, healthy and caring environment. The association has more than 600 members, including over 400 unique Ontario camps that are large and small, co-ed or single gender, located in remote settings or downtown buildings, use rustic or modern facilities, offer specialized or general programs, and serve a broad spectrum of special needs.

The Mikey Network was founded in 2003 after the tragic passing of Heathwood Homes partner Michael Salem. His passing could have been prevented if there had been a defibrillator nearby and so, compelled by the astounding number of tragedies that occur at home or in public places because of the lack of available defibrillators, Heathwood decided to take action and establish the charitable organization.

Over the past decade, The Mikey Network has raised more than $3 million by placing over 1,600 MIKEYs in public places across Canada. The foundation has also helped train 12,000 people in CPR/AED and saved a total of 23 lives to date. Now, thanks to The Mikey Network and OCA, the beat goes on…and will continue to do so at camps across Ontario.

 

For information, contact:
Miriam Lash
The Mikey Network
416-494-2230
miriam@mikeynetwork.com

Download Mikey Camp Press Release – PDF

 

Toronto Woman Survives Cardiac Arrest Thanks to Good Samaritans and A MIKEY AED

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Variety Village Mikey AED

Toronto Emergency Medical Services Safe City Program and The Mikey Network announced that a woman in her 60’s is alive today because bystanders were willing to step up to help someone in need, and a MIKEY (AED) was available when she needed it.

The woman is a Scarborough resident and regular pilates class attendee at Variety Village on Danforth Avenue.

It was 1 p.m. on April 8, 2014 and she had just finished her class and was walking to her car when she dropped to the ground having suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Bystanders rushed to her aid, immediately called 911 for the paramedics and started cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).  The Variety Village MIKEY (automated external defibrillator – AED) was also retrieved and a life–saving shock administered before paramedics arrived to provide additional care.

The woman, in her early sixties, is now recovering in hospital.

This is the first cardiac arrest save by bystanders in the City of Toronto in 2014, and the nineteenth Mikey Network save since the program’s inception. It is also the fourth save at the Variety Village location since their  MIKEY AED was installed.

Toronto EMS Safe City Program Commander Gayle Pollock said, “It is very exciting to announce our first save of 2014 and a great reminder of the importance of bystanders stopping to help someone in medical distress.  The help the bystanders gave to this woman was a critical contribution to saving her life.”

“This is the proof that AED’s in public places can perform miracles. They are simple to use  as the AED “speaks” to the person trying to help with easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Training helps but you don’t have to be trained to use one.” said Morty Henkle, Executive Director of The Mikey Network.

AEDs save lives. That is why it is our mission at The Mikey Network to place our MIKEYS (public access defibrillators) in as many high-risk locations as possible.