‘Life changing’ move

Mayor Steve Christou said defibrillation within the first few minutes of having a sudden cardiac arrest, significantly increased the chance of survival.
“From pools and libraries to depots and community centres, we’ve installed these defibrillators that can save lives,” he said.
“It’s a great initiative for Cumberland City.
“They are simple to use, feature easy to follow visual and voice prompts and a two-button operation that simplifies the defibrillation process.”
St John Ambulance NSW CEO Sarah Lance says that the time-sensitive nature of a sudden cardiac arrest highlights how important having a defibrillator close by can be.
“In the event of a cardiac arrest, each minute that passes without intervention – including defibrillation – reduces the chance of survival,” Ms Lance said.
“The combination of CPR and defibrillation is the only definitive treatment for sudden cardiac arrest and can increase survival rates by up to 70 per cent.”
Defibrillators will only deliver a shock when an irregular heart pattern is detected, so all you need to do is turn on the machine and it will tell you what to do through voice commands.
“Anyone can use a defibrillator,” Ms Lance said.
“We encourage all Australians to respond to emergencies, particularly sudden cardiac arrest events, without hesitation.”
• Defibrillator locations include: Auburn Civic Centre First Aid Room, Guildford Pool First Aid Room, Merrylands Pool First Aid Room Merrylands Admin Centre, Guildford Community Centre Staff Office, Regents Park Library Staff Office, Lidcombe Library Staff Office, Guildford Depot First Aid Room, Auburn Depot Cottage Spare Office, Berala Community Centre Staff Office, Guildford Library Staff Office, Merrylands Library Staff Office, Auburn Community Centre Staff Office, Auburn Depot First Aid Room, Auburn Library Staff Office, and Lidcombe Oval Change Rooms.