For the first time, St. John is attempting to create awareness amongst the general public on the correct use of the Automated External Defibrillator or AED, and I have volunteered to assist in the publicity campaign.

The importance of knowing cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the lives that may be saved in people with sudden cardiac arrest (heart attack) when CPR is applied has been well documented.

But the survival rate for people with cardiac arrest occurring outside the hospital setting is poor ranging from 1.5 % to 3 %. This is despite some having received CPR given by a trained bystander. There are 2 main reasons for the poor overall survival rate in pre-hospital cardiac collapse cases namely the small number of people trained in CPR and the limited effectiveness of performing CPR only.

While the performance of CPR in cardiac arrest may save life, it must be remembered that this procedure is useful if the heart stops beating which occur in about 20% of cases. In the majority of cases during cardiac arrest, the heart is in irregular rhythm and CPR done here alone is not very effective. Now, small portable machines for use outside the hospitals are available to correct the abnormal rhythm during the cardiac arrest. Such a machine is called the AED. We hope that many in Singapore will be trained in CPR and the use of AED. In this way the survival rate for those with cardiac arrest occurring outside the hospital can improve considerably.

We believe that every effort must be made to strengthen or close the weak links in the Chain of Survival. One important link is to make such machines easily and readily available in offices, shopping centres, community centres and homes soon.

We look forward to having you join us in this open house and learn more of this life saving machine. We would hope that you would forward this email to your colleagues, ex-colleagues and friends as well as organizations that are linked to you. Please call me if and when you need further information.

Yours sincerely

John Seen

Mobile: (有兴趣的朋友可以让我知道,我私下给你联络号码)

Sub-Committee for St. John Life Savers’ Day

P.S. Below are the details and highlights of the event:

Date: Saturday, 21 June 2008
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Venue: St. John Ambulance Singapore
420, Beach Road
Singapore 199582

FOR:

Healthcare providers, Safety Officers, HR Practitioners, Medical/Nursing Students and Members of the Public.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1 AED (Automated External Defibrillator) equipment demonstrations. 2 AED equipment sale by Vendors. 3 Introduction to AED Courses. 4 Free Health Screening. 5 Talks: a. “The Road to Heart Attack” by Dr Ong Hean Yee (Consultant Cardiologist, Alexandra Hospital) b. “ABCD of Resuscitation” by Dr. Chee Tek Siong (Consultant Cardiologist, East Shore Hospital) c. “‘AED use in Singapore” by Prof V. Anantharaman (Department of Emergency Medicine Singapore General Hospital) d. “Sudden Cardiac Death in Sportsman - Prevention & Screening” by Dr Jason Chia (Consultant Sports Physician, Changi General Hospital Sports Medicine Centre & Singapore Sports Medicine Centre)