Lifesaving addition jazzes up space

FOR most jazz club secretaries, installing a defibrillator in their rehearsal space probably wouldn’t be top of mind, but for Christina Finch it was.

Ms Finch, who is also trained in CPR, led an effort to get the potentially lifesaving device installed at the Old Church on the Hill last week after discovering one Bendigo Jazz Club member with heart issues might need it in an emergency.

“I thought ‘well, what would happen if we needed to care for this person?’. It was the combination of that knowledge of the value of a defib and bringing home the reality of it that made me think it would be a good idea,” she said.

“Jazz Club had its own reasons for wanting a defib but we also thought that the Old Church is the perfect place for it because it is such an active community hub.

“It feels very sensible to face the reality that this might be needed and to prepare not only the Jazz Club but also members of the Old Church community so that we can care for anyone.”

The club applied for a $2800 grant from the City of Greater Bendigo to purchase the device, as well as an AED trainer that can walk users through the process of using a defibrillator without administering electric shocks.

“The notion of getting out a very expensive defibrillator can be intimidating for some people, and we thought it was very important that the first-time people have contact with a defib should not be during an emergency,” Ms Finch said.

“The plan for the AED trainer is that it’s easily accessible for anyone to open it up and have a look, and that’s exactly what we want them to do.”