Wolgan Valley Association successful in securing funding for two AEDs
The Wolgan Valley Association has been successful in securing a Lithgow City Council Financial Assistance Program Grant for $7,000 to fund two AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) for the Wolgan Valley community.
No mobile phone reception and road closures leading to restricted access in and out of the Wolgan Valley, was recently identified by the community as posing a risk to emergency services in responding to medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest. According to Heart Research Australia, it is estimated that every day up to 55 Australians suffer a cardiac arrest when going about their daily business and if they are not at a hospital less than 8% of these Australians survive.
Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) performed by a bystander immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a patient’s chance of survival. Using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) within the first minute of sudden cardiac arrest, can potentially bring the chance of survival rate up to 90%.
AEDs are devices used with CPR that deliver a controlled shock (defibrillation) to an individual experiencing cardiac arrest, increasing their chance of survival.
The Wolgan Valley Association will work with the highly successful non-profit Community Defib Program, to install the community accessible defibrillators for the Wolgan Valley community. The goal of the project is to ensure that every no Wolgan Valley Community member is no more than 10 minutes away from a life-saving AED.
The Community Defib Program has had great success supporting rural communities roll out AED programs including the downstream communities of Upper Colo Valley and Lower Portland. The Wolgan Valley community will be supported through the Community Defib Program with:
1. AEDs, waterproof cabinets, signage, supporting resources
2. Ongoing AED maintenance, compliance checks and battery replacement
3. Community Education and information sessions on how to do CPR and use the AED
4. Aligning with First Responder Programs
5. Advice regarding AED locations
Thank you to Matthew Johnson (Community and Culture Manager) Lithgow City Council for his assistance in coordinating the LCC Financial Assistance Program Grant application and to Wolgan Valley’s Jane Montgomery for spearheading this life saving program.
