New Defibrillators Installed Around Mansfield

Published on 17 March 2023

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Five new defibrillators have been installed by Mansfield Shire Council in five facilities around Mansfield to assist the community in dealing with any sudden cardiac emergencies.

A defibrillator is a life-saving device used to treat sudden cardiac arrest while performing CPR and waiting for paramedics to arrive. Each defibrillator is a small portable device designed to deliver a controlled electrical shock to restart the heart’s normal rhythm. Defibrillators must be used in conjunction with CPR.

According to Ambulance Victoria, over 6000 people experienced cardiac arrest in Victoria in 2021. The latest Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR) Annual Report shows that use of publicly accessible defibrillators has tripled over the past decade, with 89 per cent of survivors able to return home to their families, having benefited from the lifesaving intervention.

Mayor Cr James Tehan said while he hoped none of the defibrillators would ever be needed, Council was committed to public health and safety.

“The first step in dealing with any sudden cardiac arrest is to call triple zero and commence CPR as soon as possible,” he said.

“We know that every minute matters in a cardiac arrest and the sooner a person receives CPR and defibrillation, the better their chances are of returning home.”

The automated external defibrillators (AED’s) will be publicly registered with the Ambulance Victoria Register ‘My AED’, making them searchable and accessible to locals and visitors in our community.

Council also encourages community groups and individuals to register their AED’s.

The five machines, with a total cost of $10,229 to Council, have been installed at the following locations:

  • The Mansfield Sporting Complex - exterior wall facing oval
  • The Mansfield Secondary College Dual Court Stadium - exterior wall facing school
  • The Mansfield Resource Recovery Centre - exterior wall facing drop off zone
  • The Mansfield Field Services Depot – tearoom external wall
  • The Mansfield Botanical Park toilet block - exterior between the entrance between male and female toilets

The Resource Recovery Centre and Field Services Depot units will be available during open hours while all others will be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Pin Code access will be provided to the triple zero caller when use of the AED is required.

Mansfield Shire Council’s Senior Coordinator Community Safety, Kevin Murphy said it is also important that facilities with registered devices update Ambulance Victoria records with their current battery and pad expiry dates. If this isn’t done, Ambulance Victoria will assume the device is no longer in working order and will not direct emergencies to that site.

Device details can be checked and updated by logging in to individual accounts, and a full list of the locations where AED’s are installed is available on the Ambulance Victoria website: https://registermyaed.ambulance.vic.gov.au/find-an-aed.

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