Heart starter
Warragul and Drouin paramedics were out in force last Wednesday spreading the message that knowing how to do CPR can save lives.
A team of about a dozen representatives from Ambulance Victoria including paramedics and ambulance community officers wanted to remind residents of the value of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillators in support of Restart a Heart Day.
Originating in Europe, Restart a Heart Day was supported for the first time in Australia by Ambulance Victoria through a public participation event at Melbourne Airport last Tuesday.
Ambulance Victoria paramedic educator Simon Crow said said shoppers were receptive to the demonstrations with several people coming up to talk about their own experiences with CPR.
“We spoke to one woman whose husband had a cardiac arrest in front of her.
Fortunately her son recognised the signs. He started CPR and she helped and her husband survived.” ACOs from Neerim South joined paramedics from the Warragul and Drouin branches to distribute showbags and use mannequins to teach people how to perform CPR.
Residents were asked to have a go at some onthe-spot CPR training with the mannequins.
“We really want to get across to the community that it’s important that everyone knows how to perform CPR and how to use a defibrillator,” Mr Crow said.
“Learning CPR could help save the life of someone you know and love.”
Organisations who have an AED on-site are encouraged to register the device with Ambulance Victoria. To check if an AED is registered, or for more information, email aed.register@ambulance.vic.gov.au or phone 1800 233 734 during business hours.