A group of St. John Ambulance volunteers will be doing a CPR drill for seven hours straight at Coquitlam Centre this weekend to raise money for more automated external defibrillators in public spaces.
Marie Lavoie, a communications coordinators for the organization, said 40,000 Canadians suffer sudden cardiac arrests each year and that the AED devices can significantly increase a person's chance of survival. St. John Ambulance is working to make AEDs available in more public spaces so that people suffering from heart attacks can get the help they need quickly, she added.
"We understand that these devices are quite expensive," Lavoie said. "The machines can cost between $1,300 and $4,000."
The CPR-a-thon at Coquitlam Centre will see a group of between 10 and 12 volunteers administer chest compressions on a dummy from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.. St. John Ambulance is hoping to raise $16,000 for the acquisition of more defibrillators.
Other events will be held at the Burnaby Farmer's Market, Capilano Mall, Lansdowne Centre, Pacific Centre, Richmond Centre and Haney Place Mall.
For more information go to www.sja.ca/bc
