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Hunter cails for. heart machines on ire trucks to help save lives The Canadien Champion, Friday, April 9, 1999 - 3 By IRENE GENTLE The Champion jLives could be saved by adding defibrillators to Milton fire trucks, rsays Councillor Wally Hunter. "I think it is a criticai issue if you can save one or two lives," be taid. Mr. Hunter pitched the idea to council just one day before the release of a Canadian study that showed heart attack victims have a far greater chance of aur- vival if emergency vehicles arriving on the scene have defibrillators on board. The study, carried out by the Loeb Health Research Institute and just pub- lished in the Journal of the American Medical Association, tracked 6,000 patienta in 19 Ontario communities over four ears. It concluded that patients who suffered a heart attack outside of a hospital had a 30 s per cent greater chance of turvival when vehicles with defibrillators were dis- patched to tie scene. That survival rate hinged upon the vehi- cie arriving in eight miànutes or less. That response time could flatline a Milton bid for defibrillators, said Pire Chief Harold Penson. At present, the Ministry of Healtis requires that certain response times be met before defibrillators - or smaîl electric ahock paddles used on the hearta of patients suffering from cardiac arreat- can be added to trucks. Whiie tise fuli-time day staff at tise Milton fire departinent wouid likely meet the requirement, volunteer night staff would have a tougher time of it, said Chief Penson. "At night we're dealing with part-time staff who have ta corne inta the station," he said. "We can't meet that requirement." The average respanse time in Milton ix il minutes. In an urban area, the ideai ix dloser ta four. Adding mare fuil-time staff ix the mast Iikely way ta meet the requirement, said Chief Pensan. "The aniy way around it now is ta add fuil-time people around the dlock," he said. It's possible that Milton's ability ta meet required response times in the daylight hours could be enough ta swing the Ministry's favour, said Chief enson. The issue ix even more criticai now that HaIton Region has decided ta go wits tie statua quo in ambulance service, said Mr. Hunter. That means Milton and Halton His will continue ta be largeiy served by tise volun- teer Halton His Ambulance Service (HHAS). Part-time hours and volunteer workers make it unlikely for advanced life support paramedica, or P2s, ta be added ta HHAS staff. P2s have higher training tisan basic life support paramedics. That makes defibriliators on fire trucks ail tise more vital, said Mr. Hunter. "I think it's critical in areas such as Naasagaweya," he said. "Pire trucks often know tise area much better tisan ambu- lances. They couid get ta thse scene first." Currentiy, bath Oakvilie and Buriington -se.e MACHINES on page 7 EEFBU - iRs SCOTCH MINTS UCING SUGAR 413.99 99*b. 45 lb. McÇain, Grated Natural Raw VEGETABLE PARMESAN CHEESE ALMONDS BURGERS $599 99 b. $2 1lb. Reg. $7.95 lb Reg. $6.99 lb Pack of 6x37oz PRICESVALIO UN77L.APRIL 197H, 1999 We'w apened our doors ta anather brand new La-Z-Boy Furnissai Gallenes and Nve're oelebmasng "vith Can 1 omm home wfth yu? unbehievaby JW pices. Stop in during our "Grand Opening Sale" and 1fl experience the b-Z-Boy Furniture Gailcrs diffcrence. %k affcr < thes vdest seleds<>n of Genuine La-Z-Boy home fora i is .4 Ontario. AiU thse latcst styles featured in six distinct gallernes- Jr recliners, leathci, living raamn, bedrr, dining roarn and famnily ' roarn. Plus aur higlsly traîned sales staff mi pravide professional NO IWTEREST design assistance and henp yuu svork ssith <,ur exclusive Screen NOR DONE PA' Tcst Video Catalogue. Sa for a Dclightful Shopping Expericisce1 crnme ta La-Z-Boy Fureature Galleries. But hurry in. An ent this grand sson't last lang. IL ýA 19 OUR GRÀýÀýNÀIl) K Nýý () c 1%', Yo L i 01-U YOLIR W)m 1,()()I\ \1 \Il 1111 ý \\1 Ili, 1() 0 \ 1 L \iý(ýi i Si 1 lý il( ýl (il \111m il iý l 11 l lý From $379 La-Z-Boy- Uving Room Sofas $6199 La-Z-Boy- Chaise Rocker Recliners Fram $.599 La-Z-Boy- Full Reciining Sofas $8,99