Queensland Farmers Urged to Gear Up to Save Lives

AUSTRALIA - St John Ambulance Queensland and AgForce are joining together to urge all Queensland farmers to have a life-saving defibrillator on their farms to respond in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.
calendar icon 8 June 2017
clock icon 2 minute read

St John Ambulance (Qld) CEO Alex Hutton said every year 33,000 Australians suffer from sudden cardiac arrests, of which only five per cent survive.

“Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime, no matter what their age or gender,” Mr Hutton said.

“For every passing minute without a defibrillator shock, the chance of survival reduces by ten percent – and with the average response time from an ambulance being 9-14 minutes, defibrillators can save lives. Without a defibrillator close by, the survival rate for cardiac arrest is somewhere between two and five percent.”

AgForce General President Grant Maudsley said most farmers lived and worked in remote locations a long way from medical assistance so having equipment like first aid kits and defibrillators on the property was very important.

“While farming is an extremely rewarding profession, it also has risks and dangers, so it’s incumbent on all of us to do what we can to ensure our workplace health and safety is of the highest standard possible,” he said.

“While you can always replace your farm machinery, your family members are irreplaceable.”

Mr Hutton encouraged all Queensland farmers to be equipped with defibrillators and everyone on the farm trained in their operation, with St John offering a one-off special on two of their top lifesaving defibrillators.

“We understand there is a cost implication to farmers and landholders in purchasing a defibrillator and training everyone. St John (Qld) will provide a free alarmed cabinet, carry case, responder kit, signage visibility kit and CPR training with every defibrillator purchased by AgForce members.

“Having a lifesaving defibrillator on the farm provides immediate peace of mind that our farmers, landholders and their staff have the best possible chance of survival in the event of a cardiac arrest.

“Regardless of how big or small, I encourage all farmers and landholders to contact St John to discuss their situation, and we will work together with them to find their best option for immediate and longer term First Aid coverage for their business,” Mr Hutton said.

TheCattleSite News Desk

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