A proposal to install several publicly accessible defibrillators across Wollongong will be debated by councillors on Monday night.
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In a notice of motion, Liberal councillor John Dorahy has asked council management to review an approach from a local defibrillator supplier that would allow council to ‘’strategically place’’ the life-saving devices across the area ‘’at no cost’’.
‘’It’s been highlighted over several years – through high profile Australians like (the late) Kerry Packer and many others – that having a defibrillator available at the time of an emergency can have a positive outcome,’’ he said.
‘’In this instance council has had an unsolicited approach by a local company that supplies these life-saving devices, and I saw this as worthy of at least getting a briefing on the options and opportunities available.
‘’Once we get the briefing – and understand the benefits and perhaps the challenges in terms of upkeep and security of these machines – then we can determine what our next course of action will be.’’
Councillor Dorahy said he had put forward the notion of motion due to the ‘’slowness’’ of council in responding to the opportunity.
‘’Council is an organisation that is supposed to consider all reasonable manner of assistance to residents across the LGA when they require help and in many instances, they require a very fast response, especially in the area of a health moment,’’ he said.
‘’… It is my opinion that an opportunity like this does not come forward too often and therefore provides grounds for councillors to act.’’
Meantime Wollongong Police are creating a database to pinpoint the location of defibrillators throughout the local area command to assist emergency services.
Last month, police put a call-out on social media, asking local businesses or organisations with a defibrillator to contact them with details.
‘’These life-saving devices have a success rate of 70 per cent to 80 per cent compared to CPR which has a 10 per cent to 15 per cent success rate,’’ police stated.
‘’… Police are sometimes the first responders to persons requiring first aid. It is at these times, that a database could be quickly accessed to provide the nearest defibrillator to the location of first responding police.’’
