Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Lanark—Frontenac for this very interesting, pertinent question. I thank him for the opportunity to speak to the topic of AEDs in RCMP vehicles.
While the RCMP's primary mandate is for the provision of law enforcement services, it is often called upon to support and fulfill broader first responder roles. The RCMP remains committed to doing so in its efforts to protect the safety of the public it serves, as well as its employees.
This year, the Heart and Stroke Foundation indicated, “Each year in Canada, an estimated 60,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital.” The use of a life-saving measure, such as CPR or an AED, on an individual experiencing cardiac arrest doubles their chance of survival, according to both the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
All RCMP officers are required to be trained and recertified in the use of AEDs, along with CPR and first aid certification, every three years. This important training and skills maintenance supports the broader first responder capabilities of the RCMP.
Public access to and installation of AEDs has become more prevalent across Canada in recent years, including in places such as sports and athletics facilities and recreation centres. This enables greater access to AEDs for use as a critical life-saving tool during cardiac emergencies.
While AEDs are not mandated by any federal legislation or regulation, the RCMP recognizes their benefit in specific locations and has adopted a limited AED program. AEDs have been approved for installation and use in certain facilities, including emergency medical response teams, some protective policing details, the divisional fitness and lifestyles program, and in provinces that require AEDs to be available per provincial policing standards.
While the idea is interesting, it does need to be carefully considered, as a program such as this cannot be improvised. As the member for Lanark—Frontenac very well knows, RCMP are mainly deployed in rural areas where the response time is longer than in an urban setting. Therefore, the AEDs are less useful than in urban settings.
This just means that they need to be evaluated, and a national rollout would require consultation with partners, as well as an indepth needs analysis to determine what device is needed. As well, we need to look at varying operational parameters, including climate, temperature and durability, given the vastly different operating environments in which the RCMP provides policing services across the country. Sometimes in the far north, there are below zero or sub-zero temperatures. Finally, there would also be a requirement for an assessment of financial considerations, including additional costs required for the ongoing maintenance and replacement costs of the devices.
Although the RCMP's main responsibility is law enforcement, it frequently assists in broader first responder duties. In doing so, it maintains a commitment to protecting both its personnel and the public. Nevertheless, as far as a deployment of AED in every RCMP vehicle, it cannot be endorsed at this time. Such a program needs more study, including a careful evaluation of costs and benefits.