Local sporting club Churchill United has been gifted with a lifesaving defibrillator and associated training by St John Ambulance Victoria, the state’s leading provider of First Aid services.

Churchill United is one of 100 grass roots sporting clubs to be equipped with lifesaving defibrillators and associated training, worth a total of $385,000, during the 2012 winter sports season as part of St John’s Heart Start campaign.

Launched on 22February, the Heart Start campaign has drawn a phenomenal response from the Victorian sporting community with over [X] sporting clubs applying for the package. Applications were assessed based on criteria including proximity to medical services, the type of sport they do, size of membership and their age-based level of risk.

St John Chief Executive Officer Stephen Horton said that while the standard of applications was extremely high, Churchill United Soccer Club stood out as a high priority club because of its large membership base and distance from Ambulance services in the region relative to other applicants.

“Churchill United is one of approximately 2,300 community sporting clubs across football, netball, rugby, athletics, cricket and basketball that need a defibrillator as a priority,” said Mr Horton.

“We know that clubs often struggle to raise the funds required to purchase a defibrillator themselves and we’re pleased to be able to award these 100 clubs with a life-saving piece of equipment,” Mr Horton said.

Club vice president Rob Sands said the club was excited to receive the defibrillator and associated training, in time for the winter sports season.

“This is great for our club, hopefully we never have to use it but this offers fantastic piece of mind should something occur”, said Sands.

St John’s long term vision is that by the start of the 2014 amateur sport season, all of these clubs will have a defibrillator on site and be prepared to use it if required.

In the meantime, St John is offering a $1,750 subsidy to clubs who are struggling to raise funds to purchase a defibrillator. Clubs interested in applying for this subsidy can visit www.defibssavelives.com.au for more information.

“In 2011 there were a significant number of sudden cardiac arrest-related incidents at local sporting clubs and at least three unfortunate fatalities. These lives may have been saved if there was a defibrillator on hand. We hope this initial phase of the Heart Start campaign will help to avoid preventable deaths in the 2012 season and into the future,” said Mr Horton.

 

Having a defibrillator on hand is critical to survival in the event of a cardiac arrest. For every passing minute without a defibrillator shock the chance of survival reduces by ten per cent – and the average response time from an ambulance is nine to 14 minutes. Being able to respond appropriately in the minutes that follow a cardiac arrest will ensure the best possible chance of a good outcome.

Opportunities to support

While the first phase of the campaign has focused on the 100 highest priority clubs that apply, Mr Horton said St John is hoping to work with corporate Australia to expand the campaign.

Local businesses or individuals wanting to help fund additional units for their communities should contact St John on (03) 8588 8300.

“We are actively seeking support from other like-minded organisations to extend the campaign. I’d encourage any organisation committed to saving lives in their local community to contact us.”

St John’s commitment to the community

The community defibrillator campaign is part of a range of targeted community programs St John is developing to increase the resilience of high risk Victorian communities. The organisation’s operations are not funded by government, and its community programs are supported by funds generated through its regular trading activity.

“This gift to the community is just the first step towards St John achieving our vision of saving lives through First Aid by equipping every Victorian sporting club with lifesaving defibrillator equipment and training.”

 

 About St John

St John is about saving lives through First Aid. We aim to have one person trained and equipped to provide First Aid in every home, workplace and public space.

St John Ambulance (Vic) Inc is a charity that has been providing services to Victorians for more than 128 years. Our mission is to increase the level of life-saving First Aid skills throughout the community, and save lives throughout the State.

We do this in three key ways; through volunteers providing First Aid services at events and emergencies, by training and equipping individuals to provide First Aid in their homes and workplaces, and through a range of targeted community programs designed to increase the resilience of high-risk communities.

St Johnalso has a history of successfully equipping businesses and public places with defibrillators. Through Project Heart Start, we have delivered more than 300 defibrillator units and associated training to public places such as airports and shopping malls over the past eight years.

At St John Victoria we conduct our activities in a business-like manner that is guided by our purpose, values and contemporary governance principles, however we are completely self funded. This means that our volunteer and community activities are funded by proceeds from our business activities including First Aid training and kit sales, or as a result of generous donations and support from individuals and organisations.

By supporting St John you are supporting your own community – you are supporting life.

1300 360 455

www.stjohnvic.com.au