Dear Editor,

Every year, about 2,000 people in B.C. die from sudden cardiac arrest.

Recently, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the federal government will augment an existing joint program between the BC Heart and Stroke Foundation to place one AED (Automated External Defibrillator) in communities throughout B.C. - one per community, beginning in March, with 20 to 25 and hopefully phased in fully over three years.

This is good news, unless you happen to be in a community that has more than one community facility or happens to be one of those that is identified for later years.

A person experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, without help will suffer brain damage within three minutes. By using a defibrillator within five minutes, the Heart and Stroke Foundation contends that the chance of survival increases to 75 per cent.

If privately run facilities like Langley Twin Rinks can embrace the merit of AEDs, why shouldn't the City of Langley be expected to provide these in each of its five public facilities?

This deficiency was drawn to the attention of staff, mayor, and council during preliminary discussions, and more recently as a publicly proposed amendment to the Financial Plan 2013.

Unfortunately, a postponement motion has delayed debate till September - after another swim season at Al Anderson Pool and summer programs and community events at Langley community centres and parks.

So as it stands now, one is far better to experience their cardiac arrest in a Langley Township facility than in Langley City.

The mayor and council members responsible for this foot dragging need to give their head a shake, and reconsider their ill-advised inaction.

Dave Hall, Langley City Councillor