THE Mount Gambier Lions Club is helping to save lives after donating a defibrillator to the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre.
It is the second time the Lions Club has helped purchase a community defibrillator in the Mount Gambier district.
Club spokesperson Rory McEwen said the club was pleased to donate this machine for theatre patrons.
“We like to support local projects and this came up, and we thought it was a worthy,” Mr McEwen said.
“Everybody is becoming more aware that if you have a defibrillator on hand, you can save a life through instant intervention,” Mr McEwen said.
He said the defibrillator was automated and it detected whether the patient had a heartbeat and needed defibrillation.
“Anybody can grab this and use it – it tells you what to do,” Mr McEwen said.
Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre manager Frank Morello welcomed the $2400 donation from the club for the machine.
“It is a wonderful gesture from the Lions Clubs that contributes to the safety of patrons,” Mr Morello said.
“We have a lot of elderly patrons and a defibrillator gives us peace of mind should the unexpected happen.”
He said statistics underscored the importance of the defibrillator unit.
“Without a defibrillator, less than 5pc of cardiac victims survive, while defibrillation increases the chance of survival by 70pc,” he said.
“Every minute that passes, the chance of survival reduces by 10pc.”
Club secretary Ross Parkinson OAM said the defibrillator – partly sponsored by the Australian Lions Foundation – was important lifesaving equipment for theatre patrons.
“The foundation calls for donations from all Lions clubs across the nation and out of these funds they provide emergency relief grants in disasters,” Mr Parkinson said.
He said community enhancement projects – such as the defibrillator – were also funded.
“Lions have a proud tradition that every cent we raise goes to back into the community,” Mr Parkinson said.
While the club once donated second hand furniture and other goods, it now donates cash to help communities in need re-establish themselves.
Mr Parkinson said the next stage – if the club agreed – was to purchase a defibrillator to protect the club’s own members.
“Our members are getting older,” he said.
“But, we still do working bees and cut wood.”
He said a defibrillator would also help to save the lives of the general public who came along to club functions and events.
“The sooner people get help, the sooner they recover – it is in our best interest to have as many of these around the community as possible,” Mr Parkinson said.
The Mount Gambier Lions Club has already distributed $30,000 in funds to community projects this year.
