Thanks to a recent fundraiser, the Quyon Community Gym has acquired an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) that can potentially save the life of someone suffering from cardiac arrest.

The acquisition was helped along with certified CPR instructor Hawley Lepine, who met someone at a first aid training course who had an AED he no longer needed.

Lepine said he heard about the gym’s efforts to get an AED, so he asked how much the man wanted for it.

“He gave me a price and I didn’t even blink an eye,” Lepine said.

Lepine, who also spent 17 years as a volunteer firefighter in Quyon, said that he knows first hand how much an AED can help. He said that many of the calls he responded to involving cardiac arrest were unsuccessful.

Lepine said the gym is a perfect place for an AED because not only do many people suffer cardiac arrest while exercising, but the central location of the gym makes it an ideal location in town.

When the gym is closed, a phone number of a nearby employee will be posted on the door so residents can have quick access to the AED in cases of emergency.

The neon green machine is extremely user friendly. When the lid is removed, a set of instructions shows the user how to turn on the device and apply the pads. Once it’s activated, the AED walks the user through the process through a series of verbal cues.

“The hardest thing to do is turn the thing on,” Lepine said with a laugh.

Contrary to popular belief, AED’s don’t shock a heart that has stopped beating, only those that are beating irregularly. It also acts as an electrocardiogram so the patient’s heart activity is recorded for paramedics and doctors to review later.

Lepine also said that any municipality or organization interested in getting an AED can get in touch with him and he can help with fundraising efforts by putting on CPR courses.

While Lepine said he’s going to have peace of mind knowing the community has an AED, he wouldn’t mind if it simply collects dust.

“I hope that this AED never needs to be used,” he said.

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