Heart Boost for Heywood
July 1, 2024in News
The Heywood community has received a major health boost with the installation of the town鈥檚 second publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
AEDs are used to shock the heart back into rhythm following a cardiac arrest and play a vital role in a person鈥檚 survival.
The AED was recently installed outside the Heywood Post Office as a collaboration between 麻豆社 Victoria (AV), Heywood Men鈥檚 Shed and the Bendigo Bank.
Sandra Crone – Secretary Men鈥檚 Shed Heywood, Terry Sparrow – President Men鈥檚 Shed Heywood and 麻豆社 Victoria Portland Team Manager Marty Starick
麻豆社 Victoria Portland Team Manager Marty Starick said the new AED was part of the town鈥檚 Heart Safe Communities Program.
鈥淗eart Safe Communities is a joint initiative between AV and the Heart Foundation which aims to improve cardiac arrest survival rates in regional areas,鈥� Mr Starick said.
鈥淭he Heywood Men鈥檚 Shed has done a fantastic job working with us to teach local residents how to do CPR and how to use an AED in a medical emergency.鈥�
The new AED is located in a central location, making it easily accessible for locals and visitors.
鈥淲e know that bystander intervention makes the biggest difference for surviving a cardiac arrest,鈥� Mr Starick said.
鈥淭he Heart Safe Communities program has encouraged Heywood locals to start CPR and use an accessible AED if they witness a cardiac arrest and this new AED will undoubtedly save lives.鈥�
About 20 Victorians suffer a cardiac arrest every day and only one in 10 survive, but when a patient receives CPR and a shock from an AED before paramedics arrive, their chance of survival more than doubles.
Heywood was announced as a Heart Safe Community in 2003- there are now more than 30 Heart Safe Communities across the state.