Crews of 105 fishing vessels are set to be safer at sea, thanks to funding by Hibernia, along with the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s collaboration with numerous fishing organizations such as the NL-FHSA, FFAW/UNIFOR, PFHCB and One Ocean.
Through these partnerships, vessels will now be equipped with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
The Heart and Stroke Foundation says an estimated 35,000 Canadians experience cardiac arrest each year in non-hospital settings, with just a 10 per cent survival rate.
However, these numbers improve greatly when bystanders act quickly.
Mary Ann Butt, Senior Vice-President of NL, NS & PEI Heart and Stroke says when used in combination with CPR, AED’s double the chances of survival.
Hibernia became involved in the project after hearing a distress call about a fisher in cardiac arrest.
Stephen Edwards, President of HDMC, says the initiative is aimed at “improving health and safety for the broader offshore workforce.”
Certified instructors will train fishers on each vessel in cardiac emergency education.
