Life-saving goal needs $50,000 boost to make city heart safe

The Red Cross aims to make Dubbo a “Heart Safe City”. First aid trainer George Chapman wants to see automated external defibrillators installed in all high traffic areas, no more than two minutes apart.

The third $3300 machine was installed at Dubbo Grove Pharmacy on Boundary Road but 20 were needed, Mr Chapman said.

“I’ve had a lot of phone calls but haven’t seen much money,” Mr Chapman said.

The first aid trainer said the defibrillators were expected to save up to two lives per week. Dubbo Hospital treated 322 people annually in Dubbo with heart conditions and not all of those patients survived, Mr Chapman said.

The Rotary Club of Dubbo Macquarie has also jumped on board the campaign, launching an appeal to raise money for more AED units.

“We’ve had a great start but we’re hoping the community will actively get behind this campaign so we can reach our goal of having AED units in all high traffic areas of Dubbo that are no more than two minutes apart,” Mr Chapman said.

Club Dubbo has already donated two machines and another has come from Dubbo RSL Memorial Club. They are located in Myall Street, Tamworth Street and now on Boundary Road. Each location that has a defibrillator will have a sticker in the window in case it is required.

The benefit of the automated external defibrillators was that anyone could use them, Mr Chapman said. The machine talks its user through each step of the process.

The battery and pads will each last eight years.

Club Dubbo CEO Rod Firth said he would continue to support the campaign until there were enough defibrillators in the city.

Dubbo Regional Council is also supporting what mayor Ben Shields has called a ‘life-saving’ campaign.

“The survival rates of cardiac arrests that happen outside hospital will be given a much needed boost by having defibrillators in locations that are heavily frequented,” Cr Shields said.