Dubbo is a heart-safe city.
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Australian Red Cross Dubbo first aid trainer George Chapman officially declared the city heart-safe this week, six months after starting the campaign.
Six defibrillators were installed on Thursday afternoon.
There are now about 100 automated external defibrillators installed throughout the city, from those donated through the campaign, the ones Dubbo Regional Council has put in its facilities and AEDs owned by the community.
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“It will save lives. We hope they will never have to be used, but they’ll save lives,” Mr Chapman said.
The idea for the heart-safe city campaign was born overseas.
“I was in Singapore and they had them on every street corner and I thought ‘why don’t we do that in Dubbo?” Mr Chapman said.
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Since then, more than $108,000 has been donated to buy the defibrillators. There have been 33 donated to the cause, allowing AEDs to be installed no more than two minutes apart in high-traffic parts of the CBD.
“Even somebody who just donated a dollar has helped,” Mr Chapman said.
Three of the final six defibrillators were donated by the University of Sydney School of Rural Health.
When school manager Kim O’Connor heard only three more defibrillators were needed to complete the campaign, she called Mr Chapman to pledge the money.
Ms O’Connor said the School of Rural Health already had a partnership with the Red Cross and Mr Chapman’s campaign fit in perfectly with their ideals.
“He’s taking over the world with AEDs,” Ms O’Connor said.
AEDs were also donated by the Kintyre Social Club and some of the Kintyre residents, as well as Astley’s Plumbing and Hardware and the Dubbo Macquarie Rotary Club.
The final AED in the campaign has only been partially funded. Donations can be made for the defibrillator via the Rotary Club of Dubbo using BSB number 932 000 and account number 100 380 639. The donor’s name should be used as a reference.
For those who wish to learn how to use the machines, Red Cross Dubbo is running two CPR courses on October 6. The courses are open to anyone and bookings can be made by calling the Red Cross on 1300 367 428.