AED Presentation to take Place at Richmond Fire Hall in Honour of Noah Yelizarov

December 15, 2009 (Vancouver) MediQuest Technologies Inc., Firefighters Without Borders Canada and the family of Noah Yelizarov will be hosting a media event at Richmond Fire / Rescue Hall #1 at 6960 Gilbert Rd. Richmond, BC on Dec. 17 at 2:45 pm. The event will feature the presentation of six Automated External Defibrillators (AED's) to the Yelizarov Family in memory of Noah Yelizarov, which will be delivered by Firefighters Without Borders Canada to the Thai Fire Service.

Noah died tragically five years ago at the age of 19 while in Thailand during an electrical accident. If an AED had been deployed within minutes of the accident by first responders, Noah's life may have been spared.

The six AED units donated by the Yelizarov family will help the Thai Fire Service improve first aid response times, and hopefully, save lives. AED's have been shown to dramatically improve the chances of survival if deployed within minutes of sudden cardiac arrest. Firefighters Without Borders is also sending a team of six to train and equip the Thai Fire Service over a 10 day period.

"Up to 40,000 Canadians will die this year from sudden cardiac arrest," said MediQuest President Chris Metcalfe. "Many of these people could be saved with immediate defibrillation."

AED's have been used to save lives in many high-profile cases in recent years, including former Detroit Red Wings defenceman Jiri Fischer. Fischer's life was saved by an AED after he suffered cardiac arrest on the bench during a 2005 NHL game against the Nashville Predators.

The event at Richmond Fire / Rescue Hall #1 will feature the presentation of AED's similar to the one used to save Fischer. The presentation will feature representatives of Firefighters Without Borders Canada in full uniform in front of City of Richmond Fire Apparatus. This presentation will make for an excellent photo opportunity.

"AED's save lives," said Metcalfe. "The more of these we get out into the world, the more people will be saved. My hope is that one day AED's will be as commonplace as fire extinguishers.
We're very encouraged to see increasing numbers of businesses and communities in Canada and the United States place defibrillators."

For more information contact Chris Metcalfe of MedeQuest Technologies - 604-998-1200 ext. 116. Or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For more information visit http://www.mediquest.ca or http://bcfirefighterswithoutborders.com

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London Drugs first Canadian retailer to have Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all locations

RICHMOND, BC – Richmond-based London Drugs will be the first Canadian retailer to have Automated External Defibrillators in all of its 68 stores. London Drugs employees throughout Western Canada have attended AED training with MediQuest Technologies Inc. to save lives when a medical emergency happens. AEDs have been installed in London Drugs pharmacies across Western Canada where a minimum of ten employees per store have been trained in their use.


Approximately 1,000 London Drugs employees have taken part in the training course totaling 4,000 hours of staff hours. The AED Save-a-Life program provides attendees with effective response tactics in life threatening medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest.

“London Drugs is proud to be Canada’s first retailer to have an AED located in each store,” said Wynne Powell, London Drugs president. “At London Drugs we are always looking for new services that will benefit our customers. The AED Save-a-Life program is one of those services. Every London Drugs location will ensure an employee trained in AED use is present when there are customers and staff in the store.”

The AED Save-a-Life program is an important advancement in public safety. Statistics from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada show that early witness of a cardiac arrest and the use of an AED following is key in the chain of survival. The chance of survival decreases by ten per cent every minute defibrillation is delayed. To increase survival rates, Sandoz Canada Inc. has equipped every London Drugs with the Defibtech Lifeline AED.

About London Drugs
Founded in 1945, B.C.-based London Drugs currently has 68 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Renowned for its creative approach to retailing, the company employs more than 7,500 people and carries a diverse range of health and consumer electronic products. With its strong commitment to innovation and customer appreciation, London Drugs has established itself as a reputable and caring company and continues to position itself for future growth and development.

For more information or to arrange an interview/demonstration, please contact:

Wendy Hartley
604-817-2758              604-817-2758
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Cynnamon Schreinert
604-802-2733            604-802-2733
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