PENANG today took a step forward in enhancing public health and emergency preparedness with the installation of an automated external defibrillator (AED) at the Taman Sukun Volunteer Fire Brigade in Bukit Mertajam.
Initiated by the fire brigade team, this initiative emphasised the crucial role of community-based emergency response in saving lives when needs arise.
State Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi, who was present to launch the programme, was pleased with the effort spearheaded by the fire brigade.
“Penang currently leads in the AED coverage across the country, with a total of 254 publicly accessible units installed across the state.
“However, efforts need to be intensified as the current measures are insufficient to significantly improve survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest, which remains below 1% due to a lack of public awareness.
“One of the key reasons for the low survival rate is the lack of proper knowledge and skills among the public when responding to emergencies,” he said in his speech.
Gooi urged for more effort in educating the public on lifesaving skills.
“The Taman Sukun Volunteer Fire Brigade has played a vital role in local disaster response and fire prevention. With the addition of the AED, the team aims to strengthen emergency preparedness and increase the number of first responders within the community,” he said.
Gooi expressed his gratitude to the team for their commitment to public safety, lauding the state’s dedicated effort to expanding emergency response to save lives.
“This initiative marks another milestone in the state’s ongoing efforts to lead the nation in first aid awareness and public safety,” he added.
Among those present were former state exco member Datuk Seri Phee Boon Poh and Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Syn Tze.
Story by Edmund Lee