Halifax police investigating after life-saving defibrillator was tossed into harbour

Halifax Regional Police are investigating after a life-saving defibrillator from Halifax’s waterfront was taken and tossed into the harbour.

"They didn’t steal it. They just threw it in the water," said Mike Janczyszyn, program co-ordinator with EHS AED Registry. “You shouldn’t be tampering with them or stealing them or throwing them in the water. If it was their family member or friend, you’re taking away their best chance of survival."

The automated external defibrillator (AED) was situated along the waterfront behind the Summit Building and beside BeaverTails.

The incident happened around 9:30 p.m., Easter Sunday. A witness called 911 and police responded.

Police said waterfront security guards had already retrieved the damaged defibrillator from the water.

The device has been replaced and sent to the manufacturer to see if it can be salvaged.

"It’s distressing and very sad that someone clearly didn’t understand the importance of an AED in a public spot," said Karen Chapple, who manages the Heart and Stroke’s Resuscitation Program in Atlantic Canada.

According to EHS, the device costs an average of $1,700. It’s one of 1,675 AEDs registered across Nova Scotia and one of four that is publicly available.

The devices are readily available in cases of a sudden cardiac arrest -- something the Heart and Stroke Foundation said occurs about 35,000 times each year.

"And minutes count," Chapple said.

Halifax police were given a vague description of the suspect and were told it was a younger man in his twenties. So far, no arrests have been made.

EHS and the Heart and Stroke Foundation are also trying to get more businesses to register their AEDs to help track where they are and help remind operators to maintain them.

"And if you do call 911, the 911 dispatch can tell you where the nearest AED is if it’s registered with the AED registry," Chapple said. "Anyone who has an AED in their office, we would love to have them registered that so that it can be a public-access AED"

The AED on the Halifax waterfront is one of four publicly accessible AEDs in Nova Scotia that are stored in heated and weatherproof cabinets and available 24/7 outdoors.

The other AEDs are located in Open Hearth Park in Sydney, at the Town Hall in Berwick and on the Lunenburg waterfront.