Breakers Install First Public Defibs As Part Of Former Yellow Wiggle's Life-Saving Mission

Around 28,000 Australians suffer sudden cardiac arrest each year and only 10 per cent survive. Heart of the Nation together with Mounties Group are placing defibrillators (AEDs) into communities to have a direct positive impact on members and their families.

It's been a year since Mounties Group pledged $175,000 to support former yellow wiggle Greg Page's charity, Heart of the Nation, to get more publicly available AEDs into the community. Now, Breakers Country Club is officially celebrating the collaboration with the first of these installed around the Central Coast as part of the initiative.

After surviving a cardiac arrest in January 2020, former Yellow Wiggle Greg Page created an initiative called Heart of the Nation which has since been responsible for promoting the importance of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) being accessible in public areas and workplaces.

Last year, Mounties Group partnered with Heart of the Nation to fund 50 AEDs to be installed in public places across the Central Coast, Northern Beaches and Western Sydney. Now, as part of the Central Coast rollout, Mounties Group is delighted to see the first of these installed in community centres and public areas.

"Every second counts when a life is at stake and Greg Page's story is testament to the importance of these life-saving devices," explained Mounties Group President John Dean.

"We funded these 50 defibrillators as we are committed to improving the lives of our members and those in the communities in which we operate, and we believe AEDs do just that. They are a critical tool that gives people an opportunity to survive when time is of the essence," added Mr Dean.

As part of this roll out on the Central Coast, Breakers Country Club is installing two AEDs on its public golf course and further devices are being installed locally. The two golf course defibrillators are being positioned on the first fairway and the fifth tee for easy access to nearby residents in Plymouth Drive, Windsor Road and Willougby Road in Wamberal.

"We are installing life-saving defibrillators, generously donated by Mounties Care, in public halls and community centres across the Central Coast," explained Greg Page.

"This means any member of the public can access these life saving devices when they need them, no matter the time of day. If you can access an AED within three to five minutes of someone suffering a sudden cardiac arrest, you can increase their chance of survival to 70 per cent. We encourage everyone in the community to familiarise themselves with the locations because you just don't know when you may need to use one," he added.

Around 28,000 Australians suffer sudden cardiac arrest each year and only 10 per cent survive. Heart of the Nation together with Mounties Group said placing these AEDs into communities can have a direct positive impact on members and their families.

"Having the AEDs in public places is absolutely paramount, but Heart of the Nation is also about educating people to know how to use them and what to do in an emergency situation," added Greg. Heart of the Nation's national campaign includes the launch of a free app to educate Australians on how to perform CPR and use an AED.

"AEDs are designed to be used by anyone. You do not need a qualification or certification to operate one. An AED will not shock a patient that doesn't need to be shocked, and it will not harm the responder. We encourage people to learn these basic steps to take if someone is in cardiac arrest - call 000, start CPR and use an AED. This can be easily recalled as Call, Push, Shock," concluded Greg.

In addition to the Breakers Country Club golf course, the first Mounties Care funded AEDs are now installed at Central Coast locations including The Berkeley Centre, Peninsula Community Centre, Erina Centre, The Entrance Community Centre and Hamlyn Terrace Community Centre.