6:21 PM 5/24/2003 Marsh Lake heartened by new defibrillator Marsh Lake residents are welcoming into their community new medical equipment that can help save lives. The Marsh Lake Fire Rescue Society, in partnership with Whitehorse Ambulance, has bought a new AED, or automatic external defibrillator. The small, computerized medical device is used to assess a person’s heart function and, if necessary, administer an electric shock to restore a normal ventricular rhythm in victims of sudden cardiac arrest, the society said in a statement. When a person suffers a cardiac arrest, chances of survival fall by seven to 10 per cent for each minute that passes without defibrillation. “Time is the most important factor when responding to a heart-related medical call,” the society said. “For Marsh Lake residents, having an AED-trained team respond to their call can make all the difference.” The typical response time for Marsh Lake Fire Rescue is six to nine minutes, and they are usually on the scene more than 30 minutes before Whitehorse Ambulance arrives. In the case of cardiac arrest (i.e. a heart attack or electrical accident), that time may mean the difference between life and death.  A fundraising campaign was organized to raise $3,000. This money, combined with funds from Whitehorse Ambulance, was enough to buy a top-quality AED.  This effort was spearheaded by Irv Harper, the society’s lead medical officer. “After attending several classes and speaking with MDs and nurses, I became more and more convinced that Marsh Lake Fire Rescue needed to have an AED as part of our equipment in order to continue to give quality care to our residents,” he said. “There is a real recognition that we are a community, and that we all want this place to be great place to live.”  Marsh Lake residents tend to be quite active in outdoor activities, such as shoveling snow, cutting firewood, running and skiing, which could increase the chance of heart attacks. Last year, society personnel responded to an emergency call every nine to 10 days, and more than half of those were medically related.  A meeting was held Wednesday evening to introduce the AED to the community. The gathering included a review of heart safety, when to call for help, symptoms, and how to reduce the chances of a heart attack.