Photo caption: Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, left, with Glen Innes Pistol Club Treasurer Wayne Unicomb with one of the two new defibrillators installed at the club, courtesy of a $4,560 State Government grant.
Wednesday, 12 July 2023
TWO new Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) will help save lives at the Glen Innes Pistol Club thanks to a $4,560 State Government grant, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall said the grant, secured under the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program, would be used by club members in emergency situations.
“These life-saving devices deliver a controlled electric shock to a person experiencing cardiac arrest, dramatically increasing their chances of survival,” Mr Marshall said.
“The funding will mean that if a person suffers a serious heart attack in the club house or one of the two 25 metre ranges, the defibrillator can be accessed very quickly to begin treatment, before paramedics arrive.
“The average age of the club’s members is increasing and many of those same shooters are now in the age bracket where heart attacks are more common.
“Medical experts say the first eight minutes following a cardiac arrest are critical, so early access to CPR and a defibrillator is essential to increasing a patient’s likelihood of survival.
“The AEDs are incredibly easy to use and will provide comfort and assurance to local members and visitors competing at the club’s facilities.”
Treasurer of the Glen Innes Pistol Club Wayne Unicomb said they were thrilled to receive the life-saving equipment.
“The acquisition of the two defibrillators gives members a little more peace of mind in the event of a member or visitor suffering a serious heart episode,” Mr Unicomb said.
“We now have a simple to use but very effective means of treating the victim while waiting for an ambulance to attend.”
Mr Unicomb said that just after their grant had been approved, a wife of one of the competitors suffered a mild heart attack in the Club House.
“Fortunately, one of the visiting shooters was a paramedic who tended to the lady, before the arrival of the ambulance and paramedics.”