A Project all Rotary Clubs could take to 'HEART'
The Rotary Club of Ocean Grove, [D9780] Victoria] has adopted, as a major service activity, the 'Public Access Defibrillator Project' a first aid device which is portable, small, light and easy to use. A battery operated machine that talks operators through easily understood instructions.
The Ocean Grove club has already installed one of these units at a large local shopping centre and more are planned. Rural Ambulance Victoria has undertaken to log the location of these units into their control centre for the benefit of emergency callers.
Put simply, a defibrillator is a sophisticated, but easy to operate, heart starter, to be used ,when sudden cardiac arrest occurs. A recent study by St. John Ambulance at the MCG and the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance showed that 24 out of 28 victims of sudden cardiac arrest survived because of timely treatment with one of these units.
In Australia, 17,000 victims of sudden cardiac arrest die each year Only 3% of those suffering such an emergency, survive. The success rate in the St. John Ambulance study was a startling 86%.
The cost of these units is currently in excess of $3000 and demonstrations are available from Australian distributor Laerdal Additional information can be provided by project chairman, past president Wal Kelly, PO Box 135 Ocean Grove, Vic 3226, phone 03 5256 2248.