General News
17 August, 2022
Terang named a Heart Safe Community
TERANG has been named as one of 20 official Heart Safe Communities in Victoria after the community graduated from a program designed to save lives in the event of cardiac arrest.
TERANG has been named as one of 20 official Heart Safe Communities in Victoria after the community graduated from a program designed to save lives in the event of cardiac arrest.
Heart Safe Communities was a pilot program launched in 2019 aiming to improve community education on cardiac arrest, increase the prevalence of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and facilitate membership in associated programs.
Terang was one of 17 Heart Safe Communities to graduate at the end of June, along with Camperdown and Port Fairy.
Ambulance Victoria (AV) operational community engagement liaison coordinator (OCELC) Nelly Joseph said over the last two years, the Heart Safe Community program in Terang had been “vital in building community resilience and improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates for people living and working in the area”.
“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.
“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.”
A total of eight new public AEDs were registered in Terang and surrounding areas over the last two years as part of the Heart Safe Community Program’s 17 participating sites.
Six are available 24/7 and are located at Terang Returned and Services League Hall, Terang post office, Emu Creek Pony Club, Noorat post office, Dixie Hall and Tennis Court Reserve.
All six have been registered on the AV AED Register, which allows Triple Zero responders to direct bystanders to the nearest defibrillators in the event of a cardiac arrest.
“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.”
Ms Joseph also urged residents to register with GoodSAM, an app 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 www.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.”