The major licensed clubs of Macarthur have joined forces to make life saving defibrillators accessible within one minute from every home in the region.
Under the three year, $600,000 Clubgrants program, 66 defibrillators will be installed every 12 months in neighbourhoods across the Campbelltown and Camden local government areas.
And we can thank Greg Page, the original Yellow Wiggle, for this noble effort by Wests Group Macarthur, Campbelltown Catholic Club and Ingleburn RSL.
Mr Page believes he owes his life to a defibrillator after surviving a cardiac arrest while performing at a Wiggles reunion show at Castle Hill RSL in January 2020.
He survived because bystanders knew how to perform CPR and there was an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in the club where he was performing.
With the incident occurring in front of an audience of hundreds, and thousands more watching via live stream, a nurse in the audience was then able to re-start Page’s heart using the AED.
“I have no doubt that it was the quick action of bystanders and the use of an AED that saved my life that day,” says Page.
He went on to establish a charity, Heart of the Nation, whose vision is to have an AED accessible within one minute of every home.
That’s because AED treatment within a 3-5 minute window has been proven to improve lifesaving outcomes by up to 70 percent.
“My charity, Heart of the Nation, aims not only to equip people with better access to an AED, but to also provide increased knowledge to people about where these devices are located,” Mr Page said.
The three local clubs have now formed a community partnership with Heart of the Nation to deliver almost 200 defibrillators across the Macarthur region.
The project includes funding for 66 units a year, including Heart of the Nation wall mounted AEDs, outdoor housing, a tracking device with connectivity for eight years, a set of replacement pads, batteries and supporting AED signage.
“I am absolutely delighted to be partnering with the three main venues within Macarthur to deliver AEDs,’’ Page said.
The project was launched on Wednesday in Camden.
More specifically it was outside the Spring Farm home of Graham Miles, a first aid trainer.
Mr Miles fundraised for the purchase of his own Heart of the Nation AED unit in 2022, which is now affixed to his house for community use.
“In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, having an AED close by could save a life and it’s fantastic the clubs are providing AEDs to the community – they should be everywhere,’’ he said at the launch of the Clubgrants program.
He says maintenance of the units is limited to a monthly check, as well as clear access to the unit from the street.
“Wests Group Macarthur is honoured to be a supporter of the Heart of the Nation program,’’ said Daniel Perkiss, the CEO of Wests.
“This is a lifesaving initiative and one we are truly behind on behalf of the community.
“We all want to see Macarthur locals safe and well and the provision of these lifesaving AEDs will support that.’’
Those interested in housing a Heart of the Nation Macarthur AED unit can complete an expression of interest online via the websites of any of the three clubs taking part in the program.
