ACT teams up with Scott Reid to train LFL&A students

Jeff Green | May 20, 2010

SLHS students found our how easy AED training can be, even politicians can be taught.

For Scott Reid, it all started with an MP salary increase of $20,000 in 2001, money that he did not need.

He asked his constituents if he should turn down the money, or accept it and donate it to a worthy cause. His constituents said he should donate the money so he began to look for a cause. He settled on putting defibrillators into public buildings throughout his riding.

“My riding is rural and it takes longer for paramedics to arrive at calls in rural settings, so it seemed like a good fit.”

Nine years later, Reid is amazed by how much cheaper defibrillators now are and by how their use has been refined.

A great example of that is the unique partnership that has been forged between Scott Reid and the Advanced Coronary Treatment Foundation (ACT).

Reid and Act Foundation Executive Director Sandra Clarke were on hand at a press event at Sharbot Lake High School on Tuesday, May 18 to mark the fact that thanks to a $40,000 contribution from Reid and a $17,000 contribution from the Province of Ontario, all the high schools in the Lanark Frontenac, Lennox and Addington riding have a defibrillator available, and more than 1,200 grade 9 students in the riding are being trained in the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

“High school students are not at high risk for heart attacks,” explained Sandra Clarke, “but more and more high schools are used for community events, where older people are present. However, the main focus of this program is training for the future. By training more and more students how to use AEDs, the AEDs in all public places are more and more likely to be used to save lives. This is a long term project.”

At Sharbot Lake High School, Bryan English, the Director of Physical Education, has teacher training on how to use AEDs, and with training equipment provided by the ACT Foundation, 62 grade 9 students have been trained this year.

“All of the equipment now belongs to the school,” said Sandra Clarke, “so this program can be a permanent part of the curriculum.

Sharbot Lake High School Vice Principal Gary Greer described the program as a great opportunity for the students.

To demonstrate how AED training can be spread though a community, six grade 9 students took on the task of training Central Frontenac Mayor Janet Gutowski, Limestone District School Board Trustee Anne Goodfellow and MP Scott Reid, using the equipment that was provided by ACT.

In typical Sharbot Lake High School fashion, the students were undaunted by the interaction with political leaders, enthusiastically demonstrating how the machines worked and what had to be done.

As press, ACT and school board photographers asked Scott Reid to look at the cameras, the students insisted he pay attention to the task at hand instead.

“You’d better wait a second,” Reid said to the photographers. “We’re trying to keep this guy alive.”