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Trhe canan Champion, Tuesday, June 29,1999-5G I Paddling upstream to get heart starters;_Penson B-y IRENE GENTLE The Champion Delibrillators may save lives, but îhey can't be added 10 Milton fire trucks without a hefty increase in full-time staff, the Town's community services committee heard recently. "Putting delibs on the trucks is easy," said Fire Chief Harold Penson. "The bard part is having the people who can respond." Delibrillators are amaîl electric shock paddles used on the hearts of patients suffering from car- diac arrest. A report by Chief Penson showed that the pad- dles are often instrumental in saving the lives of cardiac patients. However, they are only effective when applied within eight minutes of the attack. And consistently speedy response limes is a must under Minisîry of Health guidelines for equipping lire trucks with delibrillators. That is a standard the Milton departrnent can't always satisfy, said Chief Penson. Entries wanted- f or games It's not too lte to Sign up for adult teain gaines ta be held during Canada Day celebrations ai Rotary Park. Six-persan teamns can be entered in three events - tug of war and wheel- barrow and sack races. For more information, cal] 878- 8625. Currently, Milton bas a fu-trne, 10-hour day shit ai one station. When they are on, tire trucks respond in a speedy 3-4 minutes to the urban ares. But that lags to 1l minutes when volunteer, on- caîl staff are brought into the picture. That's just too long for defibrillators to be of use. Will corne back But the issue will be resuscitated in 2003, promised Chief Penson. At that lime, Milton may boasl around the dlock, full lime fre staff in at lest one station. That should improve response limes enough 10 bring delibrillators on board. "At that lime l'Il corne back 10 counicil and we'll be talking about delibrillators," he said. Then, the Milton department could alto partici- pale in a full-tiered response program. That means the lire depariment would be rou- tinely dispatched along with ambulance services in order to perforni medical assists. [bis would likeIy hiappen in cases where there is a difficulty or absence of breathing, unconscious- ness, severe bleeding or heart attack. The lire department would also be sent out to assist at vehicle collisions. Currently, Milton lire trucks are only dispatched when there is a known delay in ambulance response. The best option would be to keep the statut quo until more firefighters can be hired, suggested Chief Penson. He also encouraged the Town to petition Halton Region for a second ambulance for the ares. Adding defibrîllators to lire trucks is a health care issue that should be paid for out of the provin- cial govemment purse, said Mayor Gord Kiantz. "1 tbink what a lot of us are thinking now is that we' re getting mbt health care," he said. "The prop- er funding for health care is provincial." In the end, it is the pocketbook that will dictate e ee MONEY on page 16 Ià uiU1 I i 1 Il 101 N'IIaTI, Chlef Harold Penson kà BAiMESY 4 ~4 . ,. "'":a. Hours: Monday - Friday 9 arn ta 7 pmn 4w d Saturday 10 arn ta 2 prn % e c ïi 15 Martin St., Carrnage Square VVilght hAt'.4ý_nag~t andi I'.utrit,~~I cetr 693-9594 14 lu