Lifesaving trial - defibrillators in parks

Nine potentially life-saving defibrillators have been installed at selected parks and outdoors areas across City of Moreton Bay.

It is part of a pilot partnership between Council and Urban Play and Stryker to give residents access to Automatic External Defribrillators (AEDs).

AEDs are currently located at:

• Woodford Visitor Information Centre
• Wallace Street Park, Caboolture
• Brennan Park, Bongaree
• Clayton Park, Beachmere
• Redcliffe Jetty precinct
• Petrie Mill Playground
• Pine Rivers Park, Strathpine
• Leslie Patrick Park, Arana Hills
• John Scott Park, Samford

Following the success of the pilot program, Council will consider installing defibrillators at new major park upgrades or existing district and regional parks with visitor numbers.

Mayor Peter Flannery said the 12-week pilot program made defibrillators readily accessible in public spaces to potentially save lives during sudden cardiac emergencies.

“Roughly 90 Australians suffer from sudden cardiac arrest every day and 95 per cent of those people die before reaching a hospital,” he said.

“Having access to a defibrillator increases the survival chances of an individual by 70 per cent, so it makes perfect sense for us to have trialled these devices in our public spaces.

“By installing defibrillators in parks, City of Moreton Bay is empowering the community to take an active role in public safety.

“Thanks to a partnership with Urban Play and Stryker we trialled defibrillators in nine locations across City of Moreton Bay at no cost to ratepayers, and I am pleased to say they will continue to be accessible at these sites.”

Mayor Flannery said the location of each defibrillator takes into account the surrounding demographics’ age, health considerations and distance to a hospital.

The defibrillators are easy and safe to use with minimal training and can assist adults and children with no legal risk to the user.

Clear instructions are available as well as visual and voice prompts, to guide users through the resuscitation process, until professional help arrives.”