Mayor Jarrod Marsden knows from first hand experience that an automated external defibrillator (AED) can save lives.
Used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, the easy to use AED medical device can analyse the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electric shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.
“We’ve used two at Tritton in the last two years,” the mayor said.
“We had one of the workshop fitters go down and put a defibrillator on him and saved his life.
“So, from firsthand experience, they work.”
Mayor Marsden said after attending a Country Mayors conference in Sydney in 2024, where Greg Page, the original Yellow Wiggle, spoke about how his life was saved by an AED, mayor Marsden believed having more AEDs in our shire would be very beneficial.
“Greg’s goal was to have one within 500 metres of every resident in Australia and I just thought, that’s an absolutely wonderful idea, and I’ll take that back to Council.”
Mayor Marsden put a motion to Council’s December 2024 Ordinary Meeting which received the full support of Council and a budget allocation of $70,000 in the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years was made to get the project up and running.
Council has created a map of the locations of the council-owned AEDs in the shire (including those at Canbelego, Nymagee, Mt Hope and Euabalong) and welcomes businesses and residents with external AEDs (that can be accessed 24/7) to nominate their devices to be added to the map.
While the devices are automated and explain how they are to be used, Council will also be conducting public training sessions just to make people feel a bit more confident.
