AED machines can save lives. But do you know where to find one? There's an app for that
The app can help the public — or more importantly, 911 communicators — find an AED in an emergency
There are automated external defibrillator (AED) machines all over Windsor-Essex — but in an emergency, you might not know where to find one.
That's where PulsePoint AED comes in: It's an app that maps all of the AED machines in Windsor-Essex, and on Monday, local paramedics celebrated the 1,000th machine added.
"Knowing where publicly accessible AEDs are located saves minutes and those minutes save lives," said Essex-Windsor EMS Chief Justin Lammers.
There are now 1,041 mapped AED machines in Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island, making the region second in the province for AED locations mapped through this app.
AED data available to 911 communicators
It works like this: People can use the PulsePoint AED app to take pictures and log AED machines they see in the community. Those are then confirmed by paramedics to be in good working order.
This data is available to members of the public — but more importantly, Essex-Windsor EMS says, it's available to 911 communicators, who can help direct people to the nearest AED machine while they wait for paramedics to arrive.
According to EMS, if someone experiences a sudden cardiac arrest and an AED is administered in the first minute, their survival rate is about 90 per cent.
But for every minute that passes until an AED can be located, the person's chance of survival goes down by seven to 10 per cent.
"We're doing everything we can to get the ambulance to a patient's side as quick as we can," Lammers said. "But at the end of the day, there's going to be a period of time that it takes for the recognition of a cardiac arrest, the phoning to 911, the assignment of a resource, the paramedics' drive time.
"So this initiative that we're doing here is effectively saving lives in our community and bringing the care to the patients quicker."
Dave Thibodeau is one Essex Windsor EMS member who works on the program. They started mapping AED machines through the app in February, and at the time paramedics were aware of just 300 publicly accessible ones.
He says they've been "blown away" by the uptick in mapping AED machines.
Ducharme family adds AED machines like a 'treasure hunt'
More AEDs are being added to the Pulse Point app all the time — and that's thanks, in part, to Andrea Ducharme and her kids.
Ducharme was recognized by EMS on Monday as thanks for her efforts in mapping more than 20 AED machines in the community, many in arenas during her son's hockey season or through her work for the school board.
"It's something so easy to do that can help a lot of people," she said. "Taking a picture on my phone and uploading some information, it takes 30 seconds. It's not hard and it can save lives.
"I thought it would be a good example for my kids to see how easy something like that can be."
Soon, Ducharme says, it became "a little bit of a treasure hunt" for her three kids to find and map AEDs on her phone.
Ducharme, her husband and her two oldest kids took an AED awareness course offered by Essex-Windsor EMS earlier this year. As a result of that and the AED mapping, she says her kids are well-informed for their age about AEDs and how they work.
Thibodeau says there's no reason for a member of the public to worry about using one: The machines talk you through each step.
They were used by members of the public 11 times in 2023 and have saved lives.
Right now, its up to individual organizations to purchase AED machines, but Thibodeau says Essex-Windsor EMS is happy to help where they can.
"Let us come to your home or to your charitable group, your club, your church and we will show you the defibrillators, we'll let you try all the different models that are available to see if you think purchasing one is right for you," he said, adding that paramedics can provide a list of reputable vendors.
There are some charitable resources that could help with funding the purchase. They typically cost about $2,400, he added.
"We would really appreciate the invitation just to go and share what we know with them."
Now that they've marked this milestone, Lammers says the next step is making them publicly accessible around the clock and not behind locked doors.
"That means bringing them outside," he said. "We know there's a thousand of them, but not a lot of them are available 24/7."
Residents can visit the County of Essex website to learn more about AED training sessions and the Pulse Point app.