TORONTO, APRIL 14, 2014 — Toronto Emergency Medical Services Safe City Program and The Mikey Network announced today that a woman in her 60’s is alive today because of bystanders willing to step up to help someone in need.

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 automated external defibrillator (AED) was also retrieved and a life –saving shock administered before paramedics arrived to provide additional care.

The woman is now recovering in hospital.

This is the first cardiac arrest save by bystanders in the City of Toronto in 2014, the nineteenth Mikey Network save since the program’s inception and the fourth save at the Variety Village location since their 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 the Executive Director of The Mikey Network.

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