Volunteer Spotlight: Amanda Ockeloen, BIM’s AED Maintenance Team
With a work life that has been centred around the health care field, it was easy to see why a Public Access to Defibrillators program would be close to Amanda’s heart.
Starting with working at a vet clinic, joining B.C. ambulance as a paramedic, and then becoming a training partner with the Red Cross, she was exposed to CPR and AEDs for many years.
It was only when the editor of the Bowen Undercurrent was doing Bowen profiles, and she asked her if she had any goals or passions around her first aid training business…. she just came up with how amazing it would be to have AED’s (automatic external defibrillators) around the island for the public to be able to access in the event of cardiac arrest. The issue was how would we be able to fund a project like this. With a few years of as ESS director, and then the first Emergency Program Coordinator, Amanda was in a good position to get some grants that helped with the first AED’s.
Fast forward a few years to 2017 when a partnership with the Bowen Rotary Club was formed. Bawn Campbell worked closely with Amanda to create a committee program that included the purchase of AEDs, siting and building of the birdhouses, and CPR/AED demos. There are now 27 AEDs dotted around Bowen.
Ongoing, they have an awesome team of 2 Firefighters, a school principal, and Amanda that check on the AED’s every month. The hope is they will never have to be used, but in the event that one could save a life, that makes it all worthwhile.
Learn more about the Community AED Program.