Toronto Woman Survives Cardiac Arrest Thanks to Good Samaritans and A 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.