Charlton community groups thanked for equipment donation at open day

Charlton paramedics have thanked the local community for a generous donation of equipment to support their life-saving service to the community.

The Charlton & District Ambulance Auxiliary, Lions Club of Charlton, Australian Lions Foundation, Charlton Neighbourhood House Op Shop and Friends of the East Wimmera Health Service Charlton Campus combined to raise funds for new equipment to support the region’s Ambulance Victoria (AV) branch.

The equipment purchased included a Corpuls mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) device which can perform compressions, freeing up paramedics to focus on other aspects of patient care; vacuum mattresses for spinal patients; and suction units for patient airway management.

Charlton Team Manager Jamie Jones said the new equipment, which was on display at the latest community Open Day, would benefit the rural branch.

“We’re a small team who work hard to provide best-quality care to our community and surrounds,” he said.

“This equipment comes on top of our standard gear and will provide us with more options to give that best-quality care to our patients.

“We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the donation for their generosity and continued support.”

Charlton residents also had the opportunity to boost their CPR skills at the Open Day, with AV running Call Push Shock sessions and teaching attendees how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Mr Jones said anyone can save a life in three simple steps – Call (Call Triple Zero 000), Push (Perform CPR) and Shock (use an AED).

“Call Push Shock sessions like we ran at the Open Day are all about making the community feel confident to take action in someone’s time of need,” he said.

Mr Jones said locals are well placed to save a life if someone in the district suffers a cardiac arrest.

“We have a high number of publicly accessible AEDs in Charlton, for the size of the population,” he said.

“We know that when a cardiac arrest patient receives CPR and a shock from an AED before paramedics arrive, their chance of survival more than doubles.”

There are 11 publicly accessible AEDs in Charlton:

• Travellers Rest Toilet Block, 43-47 High St Charlton
• Lions Club of Charlton, 9 Camp St Charlton
• Charlton Ambulance Branch, 2 Learmonth St Charlton
• Charlton Bowling Club, 5 Mildura Way Charlton
• Charlton Croquet Club, 7 Mildura Way Charlton
• Charlton Angling Club, 59C Mildura Way Charlton
• Charlton P-12 College, 33-49 Davies Street Charlton
• Ampol Service Station, 166-186 High St Charlton
• Charlton Golf Club, 286 Golf Links Road Charlton
• Charlton Football Club, Charlton Park, Calder Highway Charlton
• Coonooer Bridge Community Centre, 32 Hall Lane Coonooer Bridge

To register an AED with AV, visit registermyaed.ambulance.vic.gov.au