The life-saving equipment is only a heartbeat away.
Merrigum Lions Club has supplied funds to Merrigum Bowls Club to secure a new defibrillator machine accessible to the entire community.
The battery in the bowls club’s old defibrillator was estimated to be between six and eight years old.
According to St John Victoria, defibrillator batteries need to be changed every two to five years.
Merrigum Bowls Club secretary Alan Dennis inquired about securing a new battery for the defibrillator, but discovered it would cost less to buy a new machine.
The price of the new defibrillator came to be just less than $2000.
Merrigum Lions Club member and regular bowler, Greg Pell, said they provided the funding on the condition that the new machine was accessible to the whole community.
“I think that’s just common sense rather than having it locked up inside,” Mr Pell said.
“It allows for it to be accessible by the community.”
Mr Pell said most defibrillators were bought initially through grants, but recently, those grants have yet to be made available.
“I don’t think we can expect the council to do everything for us,’’ he said.
“We show our own initiative and get things done.”
The new defibrillator is located at Merrigum Bowls Club, on the corner of Morrissey St and Waverley Ave, on the external wall next to the front door.
Other defibrillators across Merrigum include the post office and Merrigum Football Netball Club.