Comox Firefighters Donate Another Life-Saving AE

Comox, BC – The Comox Firefighters Association has donated another Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to support public safety in the Comox Valley. The latest recipient is the Courtenay Legion. Pictured in the attached photo is Courtenay Legion member Rollie Rowland, accepting the AED on behalf of the organization.

“It’s encouraging to see more public access AEDs becoming available throughout the community,” said Comox Fire Chief Gord Schreiner. “I’m extremely proud of our firefighters and their continued commitment to this life-saving initiative. To date, we’ve helped place over 60 AEDs in public spaces. This represents more than $85,000 in funding—entirely from non-tax sources—over the past decade.”

Public access AEDs are simple to use, require minimal maintenance, and most importantly, save lives. Each unit costs approximately $2,000. In addition to donating AEDs, the Comox Firefighters Association also offers CPR and AED training to members of the community.

The association receives numerous requests annually and carefully evaluates each one to determine where they can have the most impact. Their goal is to add three to four new AEDs across the region each year.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) can happen without warning—at work, at community events, or in public places. Survival rates are typically under 10%, but studies show that when CPR and AEDs are administered within five minutes, survival rates can jump to 30–50%. This is why communities nationwide are implementing Public Access Defibrillation programs that combine widespread AED placement with public training.

Comox Fire Rescue understands the importance of AEDs firsthand. Every emergency vehicle in the department is equipped with an AED, and a unit is also installed at the fire station.

For more information or to inquire about AED support, please contact Comox Fire Rescue at firehall@comox.ca or call 250-339-2432.