A good Scout knows how important it is to ‘be prepared’.
Which is why the relocation of an automated external defibrillator from the closed Churches Tennis Club to the 1st Kyabram Scout Group Hall at 71 Saunders St has been warmly welcomed.
With the move, Ambulance Victoria has donated an AED box to make the AED accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The news comes at an opportune time, with a record 139 cardiac arrest patients delivered shocks from a public AED like Kyabram’s — up from 107 cases in 2023.
AV paramedic Anita Stirling said anyone could use the AED, and if used correctly, the patient’s survival rate doubled.
“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere, so it is hugely beneficial to the Kyabram community to have this AED now publicly accessible at any time – night or day,” Anita said.
The AED coupled with knowledge of CPR is a perfect match, according to Anita, who encouraged community members to sign up to the GoodSAM program.
GoodSAM is an app that alerts members who know how to perform CPR to any cardiac-related incidents in the community where CPR is needed before paramedics can make it to the scene.
“You don’t have to be first-aid qualified or have a medical background to sign up – you just need to be willing and able to do hands-only CPR, be over 18 years of age and have access to a smartphone,” Anita said.
There are over 12,000 citizens who act as GoodSAM responders across the state, but Ambulance Victoria always need more.
For more information, visit ambulance.vic.gov.au/shocktober