Wynnum Optometry Team joins Guy Leech’s Heart180 lifesaving mission
When practice managers Emma Richardson & Sally O’Brien heard about the former Australian Ironman champion’s quest to get a defibrillator within 180 seconds of every Australian, they were keen to be part of helping achieve this lifesaving goal. They decided the best way to help was by organising a Heart180 defibrillator to be located in their Optometry business central to the Wynnum QLD Community http://www.guyleech.com.au/my-mission/
There is a tremendous opportunity for every community health business to be part of the solution to Australia’s biggest killer ‘out of hospital’ Sudden Cardiac Arrest and having a defibrillator available within the business to support the local Community if needed was an easy decision to make. Optometrists and many of the team have first aid and CPR certification as part of their professional training which adds an extra avenue of support in their healthcare environment
In 2016 Guy’s good friend ‘Chucky’ collapsed from Sudden Cardiac Arrest and died later that week even though Guy performed initial CPR and Emergency Services attended. “Defibrillation is essentially the core factor that determines if a person in cardiac arrest will survive” Guy said. “Statistics show that if you are able to get the defib on a victim within the first three minutes it’ll shock their survival rate to above 90% and with an average ambulance response time of 12 minutes, you must act fast”
For any business contemplating why they might become involved in the Heart180 army, Guy explains that “In Australia, more than 30,000 out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrests occur each year and with fewer than 10 per cent currently surviving, public access to defibrillation can quite literally mean the difference between life and death. In Australia there are approximately 100,000 defibs, which based on the geographical size of Australia means that there is currently insufficient coverage of these life saving devices”.
Now that the defib has been installed in the Wynnum Optometry business, Emma and the team will undergo further training in how to use it by accessing online training from the Heart180 portal More importantly they will raise awareness of the defib located in their busines through internal business signage, website and local social media.
To find out more about how you can become part of the Heart180 Army or arrange a presentation for your business, neighbourhood or social group, feel free to talk with Emma and Sally at Clacher and Hook Optometry in Wynnum QLD https://www.clacherandhook.com.au/ Alternatively you can click on this weblink https://heart180.com.au/, send an email to heart180defibs@tpg.com.au or contact Scott Carpenter 0490 705 651
Pictured here with their new Heart180 Defibrillator are team members Naomi, Emma & Sarah all well known in their local community