Lions club get defibs in place in Anglesea and Aireys

ANGLESEA Lions Club and the Bendigo Community Bank Anglesea have combined to make Anglesea an Aireys Inlet a safer place for those who may suffer a cardiac arrest over the coming holiday season.

Defibrillators have been purchased, at a cost of over $8,000, for placement in the towns.

The defibrillators, (also known as AEDs – automated external defibrillators), have been placed on the outside walls at locations in Anglesea and Aireys Inlet as follows.

Aireys Inlet
• Strapper Surf, 83 Great Ocean Road Anglesea
• Go Ride A Wave, 143 B Great Ocean Road,
• Anglesea Pizza & Pasta Shop, 1/63 Great Ocean Road
• Anglesea Motor Yacht Club, at Point Roadknight
• Bendigo Community Bank at 97 Great Ocean Road

There are now two AEDs available at either end of the main shopping centre in Anglesea.

In addition, the Anglesea Lions Club has a portable defibrillator to be used at various functions such as the Xmas Carols, Australia Day celebrations and other events the Lions are involved in throughout the year.

The devices are easy to use and give instructions on their use once they are activated.

Information from Ambulance Victoria shows that over 6,000 Victorians a year suffer a cardiac arrest away from hospital.

The time between someone collapsing from cardiac arrest and paramedics arriving is critical.

When a defibrillator is used before an ambulance arrives the chance of survival almost doubles. Ambulance Victoria is also introducing lifesaving technology, known as “GOODSAM”, to ensure that people having a cardiac arrest can receive life-saving help from a trusted responder in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive.

It is a smartphone app that alerts the trusted responders when a triple zero (000) call is made. “Trusted Responders” will include off-duty paramedics, medical professionals and other emergency responders as well as members of the public with appropriate first aid training.

At the same time as an ambulance is despatched as a result of the call, any trusted responder in the vicinity receives the information as to the location of the patient and is sent immediately to provide CPR.

Allied with this is a register of the location of all defibrillators so that the trusted responder can use it in an emergency while awaiting the arrival of the ambulance.

The defibrillators provided by the Anglesea Lions and Bendigo Community Bank will be registered so they can be part of the “GOODSAM” project.