General News
18 August, 2022
C’Down joins Heart Safe Communities
CAMPERDOWN is one of 20 official Heart Safe Communities in Victoria, thanks to a program which has upskilled the community to save the life of someone having a cardiac arrest.
CAMPERDOWN is one of 20 official Heart Safe Communities in Victoria, thanks to a program which has upskilled the community to save the life of someone having a cardiac arrest.
Ambulance Victoria (AV) operational community engagement liaison co-ordinator (OCELC) Nelly Joseph said over the last two years, the Heart Safe Community program in Camperdown has been vital in building community resilience and improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates for people living and working in the area.
Camperdown is one of 17 Heart Safe Communities which graduated at the end of June.
“The expansion of the Heart Safe Community state-wide program, a joint initiative between AV and the Heart Foundation, built the confidence and skills in local communities to step in and provide life-saving assistance if someone is in cardiac arrest,” she said.
“The program aimed to raise community awareness of cardiac arrest, promote the role of Triple Zero (000) in a cardiac emergency, teach people cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills, how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED), identify and register existing defibrillators, install and register new defibrillators and promote and educate on the use of smart phone technologies, like the GoodSAM (Smartphone Activated Medic) App.”
Cardiac arrest happens when a person’s heart suddenly stops beating and stops pumping blood effectively around the body; it can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere.
“While bystanders alone will never replace an ambulance service, equipping people with skills to start the chain of survival; starting chest compressions or CPR and using an AED does save lives,” Ms Joseph said.
“Anyone can save a life in three simple steps. Call, Push, Shock: Call Triple Zero (000), Push hard and fast on the middle of the chest, and Shock using an AED.”
An AED is used to deliver a shock to help restore normal heart rhythm following a cardiac arrest.
Thanks to the Heart Safe Community program’s 17 participating sites, over the last two years, 13 new public AEDs have been registered in Camperdown.
Seven of them are available 24/7 and are located at Camperdown Healthsave Pharmacy, Camperdown Court House, Camperdown Preschool Association, Sunnyside House, Camperdown Football Netball Club, Camperdown 24HR Roadhouse, and Cooinda Terang Inc.
All seven have been registered on the AV AED Register which means that if someone suffers a cardiac arrest and a bystander calls 000, the call-taker can direct people to the nearest defibrillator.
“Anyone can use an AED, regardless of whether they have received training to do so,” Ms Joseph said.
“If someone is in cardiac arrest and an AED is available, simply open it and follow the verbal instructions. They are safe and easy to use and will not deliver a shock unless it is necessary.”
Local residents were encouraged to register with GoodSAM which connects Victorians in cardiac arrest with responders and defibrillators in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive.
Responders only receive an alert if they are close to the person in cardiac arrest.
They are given the address of the patient, along with the location of the closest defibrillator (if one is available), so that they can begin lifesaving care while an ambulance is on its way.
“Anyone can save a life by going to heartrestarter.com.au and signing up as a GoodSAM Responder today,” Ms Joseph said.
“You don’t have to have experience or a medical background, you just have to be willing and able to do hands-on CPR, be over 18 years of age and have access to a smartphone.”
Since July, 12 new communities have joined the Heart Safe Communities program including Lismore.