New law protects Good Samaritans

A Winnipeg MLA and lifesaving advocates hope legislation that recently passed in the Manitoba legislature will allow more people to help save strangers' lives without the fear of facing a lawsuit.

"This whole bill is about reducing the hesitation to jump in," St. James NDP MLA Bonnie Korzeniowski said of the Good Samaritan Protection Act, which she introduced as a private member's bill earlier this month.

"I don't want any obstacle to keep someone from helping save a life. Bottom line."

The legislation, which passed on Dec. 7, will protect people who voluntarily offer CPR or first aid assistance in an emergency from getting sued for any related injury or death, unless the person providing aidwas grossly negligent.

Advocates applauded the new law, saying many people have been reluctant to help in an emergency.

"When we had CPR classes, that was one of the questions that everybody would ask: 'What if we get sued if we stop to help?'" said Jackie Zalnasky, director of health promotion with the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Winnipeg.

The foundation has lobbied for such legislation in part because automated external defibrillators have appeared in more public places and businesses in recent years.

Zalnasky said the organization will now push for more public access to defibrillators in placessuch asshopping malls and sports arenas. Currently, malls such as Polo Park limit the use of defibrillators to trained security personnel.