September 3, 2015
St John Ambulance have an ambitious goal: they want to have a first responder on every street in every Aboriginal community in Queensland to help save lives.
On Monday they began to move this goal forward in Cherbourg when they presented the Barambah Health Service with a defibrillator – the first the community has ever had.
St John Ambulance Greater Brisbane Regional Manager Simon Fletcher said his group had partnered with QAIHC (the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council) to ask what health initiatives Aboriginal communities thought they needed most.
Ready access to defibrillators was a common request.
Defibrillators deliver a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the heart which helps restore its normal rhythm when it’s beating too quickly or slowly, or when someone has suffered cardiac arrest.
Studies have shown that prompt access to a defibrillator can save the lives of almost 4 in 10 people suffering a heart attack, and as many as 6 in 10 suffering irregular heartbeats.
In the next few weeks St John’s personnel will be providing initial training in how to use the equipment to three Cherbourg residents identified by the community, who can then teach others.
Simon said that St John’s took the view Aboriginal communities were best placed to know what they needed, not outsiders.
“For too long Aboriginal communities have been told what they need. We think this approach is wrong,” Simon said.
“That’s why we partnered with QAIHC, so the communities can tell us themselves.”
Simon believes that improving access to first aid will help raise life expectancies in Aboriginal communities, which are still 10 years lower than non-indigenous communities.
Veronica Williams, the CEO of the Barambah Health Service, said she greatly appreciated the donation of the defibrillator by St John Ambulance and would ensure it was put to good use.
After the presentation, guests adjourned for a light lunch on the centre’s rear lawn.
Great to see such great community initiatives. Defibs are sadly lacking in Kingaroy. Fortunate that QAS have a 3 minute response time to the CBD.