FORTY-TWO life-saving defibrillators will be rolled out across Wyndham and Hobsons Bay – the units a legacy of Sunbury footballer Stephen Buckman.
Buckman was just 19 when he collapsed during training on May 29, 2010. The Rupertswood ruckman went into cardiac arrest on the Salesian College football field. Paramedics treated him for more than an hour before he was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he died about 20 minutes after arrival.
MICA paramedic Andrew White was off duty when he tried saving the footballer. After Buckman’s death, Mr White founded the Defib Your Club for Life program.
Announcing the latest roll-out, Mr White said the defibs could potentially save people who suffered cardiac arrest. “Research tells us that the MCG has a cardiac arrest survival rate of 85percent as automatic defibrillators are readily available,” he said.
This is compared to a 7-10percent chance elsewhere in Australia where the life-saving equipment is not as accessible. “A defibrillator is the most important life-saving piece of equipment any club or group can have.”
The 42 defibs have been donated by community bank branches at Point Cook, Altona, Laverton/Altona Meadows and Bendigo Bank’s Williamstown branch. This builds on 15 defibrillators bought by the three branches in January for the benefit of local community clubs.
Defibs will be installed at Altona Sports Centre, Laverton football and softball clubs, Sanctuary Lakes Golf and Newport Bowls clubs, and the Williamstown clubroom shared by Barnstoneworth Football Club, and Williamstown Congs and StMary’s cricket clubs.
Units will also be installed at 19 schools across Wyndham and Hobsons Bay, as well as retirement homes, community centres and service stations. A mobile unit has been made available across the two municipalities.
