A motion to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) will be presented at a Vancouver School Board meeting on Monday night.
ABC Vancouver Trustee Preeti Faridkot’s motion will ask district staff to create a comprehensive plan to install AEDs in all schools in the district.
The motion includes a cost analysis and options for installation, maintenance, and training in the school district’s budget.
“AEDs provide crucial support in the event of a heart attack when every second counts. I’ve heard from parents and students that Vancouver families want these life-saving devices installed in our schools. They want fast-action help available in the event of a cardiac emergency. It’s a simple way to make every school a safer place for students and our staff,” Preeti Faridkot said in a statement on Monday.
In November, a group of students at Vancouver’s Point Grey Secondary school led by Tobias Zhang, raised money to purchase AEDs for the school after his friend passed away from a cardiac arrest following a basketball tryout in 2022.
Zhang told CityNews at the time that he had been rejected by the school and the VSB when he attempted to donate the money.
“To me, it made no sense to not have an AED, so I thought this is an issue we can fight for,” Zhang said.
Monday’s motion also includes a request for the provincial Ministry of Education to provide funding for the implementation and ongoing costs of the program.
Minister of Education and Child Care Lisa Beare said she supports installing AEDs in schools across B.C.
“There are a number of schools across the province that already have AEDs, so what I have asked my team is to take a look at where the gaps are and how we can fill that because I want to see AEDs in our schools,” Beare said.
AEDs are designed to provide immediate assistance during a cardiac arrest. The Heart and Stroke Foundation says when an AED is used within the first 5-10 minutes, survival rates can be as high as 85 per cent.
According to the VSB motion, the school board says it currently complys with guidance provided by the Provincial Health Officer and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority to provide AEDs to students with specified heart conditions.
The motion says there is currently no act or regulation requiring mandatory AEDs in public spaces, including schools.
Faridkot’s motion will ask for an implementation timeline for all Vancouver schools by September 2025.