Lumber company has a heart
By Chris Simon

Photo by Chris Simon Representatives from Tarpin Lumber and the Mikey Network presented Innisfil mayor Brian Jackson and deputy mayor Gord Wauchope with two defibrillators last week. A defibrillator will be placed in the new South Simcoe Police Service North Division administration building, and the Innisfil Recreation Complex.

Two Innisfil facilities will be getting some heart.

Tarpin Lumber donated two Automated External Defibrillators to the town last week. The defibrillators will be placed in the Innisfil Recreation Complex and South Simcoe Police Service North Division administration building.

"We count on our friends and suppliers, and the units we've placed (so far) have been the result of people giving us donations," said Hugh Heron, chair of the Mikey Network, an organization that distributes defibrillators to public areas throughout the region. "There's been no bigger supporter of the network than Tarpin Lumber. They've been marvelous."

Over the last year, Simcoe County paramedics have installed the machines in Ontario government buildings and public access facilities like arenas, libraries, and recreation centres throughout the region.

Last week, the Simcoe County District School Board also launched a Public Access Defibrillator program at 22 facilities across the region.

During the past four years, the MIKEY Network has distributed over 350 defibrillators in communities from Toronto to Barrie, said Heron.

"The network was started when we lost one of our colleagues on the golf course," he said. "We decided to place defibrillators throughout the area, from the Greater Toronto area to Barrie. Over the past four years, I've met six people who would not be here without a defibrillator."

AEDs are computerized medical devices capable of analyzing the electrical activity of the heart, and determining if it would benefit from an electrical shock once a person has slipped into sudden cardiac arrest. Defibrillation helps restore blood flow, by attempting to reset normal electrical activity in the heart.

Mayor Brian Jackson says the donation is greatly appreciated.

"Hopefully, we never have to use these, but if we do, the right equipment is there," he said.

"We very pleased to have these, and be prepared for an incident we hope we never have."