Local high schools get defibrillators

All county high schools will be equipped with automated ex­ternal defibrillators (AEDs), thanks to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and its supporters.

A total of 12 AEDs were recently distributed to high schools in the Guelph-Well­ington area, as well as to Con­estoga College’s Guelph campus.

The deployment was made possible through contributions  - from Transamerica Life Canada, Reliance Home Com­fort and the Gala Royale and its many supports - to the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Restart a Heart program and its Chase McEachern Tribute Fund.

“The ongoing investment in defibrillators through the Heart and Stroke Foundation will provide people in Wellington?County with important life-saving assistance,” said Bruce Holbein, chair of the Well­ing­ton foundation chapter.

Municipal emergency medical services were asked to assess their needs and submit funding applications to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. A panel identified Wellington as one of 50 beneficiaries.

The AEDs will be installed over the next few months.