As officials work to increase community safety, Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services is launching new program to create greater access to AED machines. 
Assistant Chief Scott Ramey says area residents will soon be able to borrow a portable defibrillator for special functions.
“We’re going to hold two of our public access defibrillators and have them available for sign-out on loan to the public,” Ramey says. “So if you’re having a family reunion, if you’re having a big gathering or event at a hall that doesn’t have a machine installed there already, you’ll be able to sign out free of charge a defibrillator, get an orientation to it, and then have it at the site for your event.”
Ramey says while they encourage everyone to take a first aid course, the AED machines are very user friendly and don’t require any special training to operate.
“The use of a public access defibrillator, because it is fully automatic and it explains to you step by step, there is no training requirement,” Ramey says. “Anybody can grab a defibrillator, follow the voice prompts and instructions, and do chest compressions and apply the defibrillator.”
Chatham-Kent’s lending AED program is based on one launched in Guelph earlier this year.