ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — If you’re going into cardiac arrest, every minute counts.
That’s because with each minute that passes without defibrillation — a shock to the heart — your chance of survival decreases by up to 10 per cent.
Memorial University students with Enactus Memorial hope to help — with drones.
They’re calling it HeartStarter.
It’s a new social enterprise that would quickly get automated external defibrillators (AEDs) — a user-friendly device that can give an electric shock to the heart — into the hands of people who need them.
Using drones might sound futuristic, but many countries are already doing just that — flying all sorts of medical equipment to remote locations.
"The AED will get there — and can hopefully be started — even before the ambulance or fire department arrives." — Robyn Budgell, Enactus Memorial vice-president
When Enactus Memorial vice-presidents Hannah Blundon and Robyn Budgell explain it, the process sounds fairly straightforward.
A drone and lightweight AED would be docked at strategic locations, such as fire stations.
“When they get a call, they’ll be trained so one of them can stay behind and fly the drone that’s going to get there way faster, while the rest of the team dispatches in the truck,” Budgell explained.
“So the AED will get there — and can hopefully be started — even before the ambulance or fire department arrives.”
Budgell said the technology would be especially beneficial for rural areas.
“There are some communities, like where my family is from on the Burin Peninsula, well, if you’re having cardiac arrest and you call an ambulance, that ambulance isn’t coming for half an hour, if you’re lucky, depending on where you are.”
The drones they would supply can fly at speeds up to 81 km/h, and could go as the crow flies rather than looping around hills and bogs on winding roads.
Getting off the ground will be costly
The group hopes to procure enough funding to eventually put a drone and lightweight AED at every fire station across the province.
That won’t be cheap.
The DJI Matrice 200 drone, which they’ve identified as best suited for the task, costs $10,000.
So, they’re seeking donors. Anyone interested in donating can email [email protected].
But the drones are just one part of the social enterprise.
“The overall (goal) of HeartStarter is heart health,” said Budgell.
She said the project will also involve a prevention component in which they educate young people about heart-healthy food choices.
"We’re the only province that doesn’t have an AED registry." — Hannah Blundon
Another part of the project will require input from people all across the province.
We’re the only province that doesn’t have an AED registry
They hope everyone will download the free app Pulse Point, which shows users where to find the nearest AED in the event of a cardiac emergency. It works by tracking the cellphone’s location, and showing on a map where the closest AED is located.
Anyone with the app can also input the location details of an AED.
“Our goal is to get people throughout the province to start logging these AEDs because there’s no registry in Newfoundland. We’re the only province that doesn’t have an AED registry,” said Blundon.
Within a few months, HeartStarter’s first drone pilot project is expected to begin.
Blundon is looking forward to seeing it take off.
“This could save lives,” she said.
The official launch of HeartStarter is Friday, Feb. 7 from 11 a.m. to noon at the RBC Atrium in the Memorial University business building.
Twitter: @juanitamercer_
