Chest feeling tight? Jaw sore? Are you nauseous or dizzy as well?
If you don’t happen to be outside Hawkesbury Hospital or a doctor’s surgery, you’ll want to be near a defibrillator, and one Hawkesbury doctor has started a campaign to get a heap more out there.
Dr Ravi Sahasrabuddhe stressed the urgency of getting a lot more units out into the community.
‘‘The incidence of cardiac arrest in Australia is 30,000 a year outside a hospital,’’ Dr Ravi said. ‘‘Every minute of delay before defibrillation increases the risk of mortality by 10 per cent. Time is critical.’’
A phone poll conducted by Dr Ravi of clubs and venues round the Hawkesbury found defibrillators only at Windsor RSL and Richmond Club.
As a result, the Hawkesbury Heartstart campaign aims to get at least 12 more out there, to give as many people as possible the chance to survive a heart attack.
Dr Ravi and Windsor Rotary are asking Hawkesbury entities of all types to put their hand up to be a Hawkesbury Heartstart location and to start fundraising to achieve at least half the money needed to buy one for their site.
‘‘The Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) cost $2700 each but if we buy at least 12 we can get them for $2350,’’ Dr Ravi said. ‘‘We are calling on Hawkesbury clubs, schools, businesses, factories, churches, doctor’s surgeries, chemists, Council, swimming pools, sporting facilities — anywhere where people gather — to sign on and start fundraising. Cardiologist Dr John Jagger who works at Tosca in Richmond said it was a brilliant idea, as did Dr Ramesh from Hawkesbury Hospital.’’
He stressed liability issues were not a problem, saying that no person using a defibrillator on a person having a heart attack could be sued, under section 57 ‘‘Protection of Good Samaritans’’ of the Civil Liability Act of 2002.
‘‘And they are very easy to use, with visual and auditory prompts, though the company sends a trainer to train staff in its use when one is purchased,’’ Dr Ravi said. ‘‘It also helps with heart massage, telling you if your compressions aren’t deep enough. With the average time for an ambulance to respond being 10-12 minutes, we need as many of these out there as possible.’’
Several bodies have signed up to start fundraising for their own defib unit already: Chesalon at Richmond — one, Hawkesbury Village — one, Richmond Club — at least two, Windsor Bowling Club — one, St Peter’s Richmond — one.
‘‘While we are asking each host site to raise as much of the cost as possible, we are also creating a Rotary defib kitty so we can top up any funding shortfalls at the time we do the bulk defib purchase,’’ Dr Ravi said. (See breakout box for how much has been promised for the kitty so far).
He said Macquarie Towns Arts Society will hold an Art for Heart fundraising exhibition to contribute to the fund on May 2 at St Peter’s hall in Richmond, and Dr Ravi will hold a fundraising dinner at House of Patiela restaurant in Richmond.
While Richmond Club already has a defib unit, it will buy more as part of the campaign, CEO Kimberley Talbot said.
‘‘Richmond Club is right behind Dr Ravi and supports his push to have defibrillators installed in all Hawkesbury clubs and large organisations,” Ms Talbot said.
“I understand how important and crucial it is for clubs with an ageing population to have a defibrillator available on a daily basis.
‘‘In my 36 years in the industry I’ve known patrons who’ve died from not having access to a defibrillator. I’ve seen how detrimental not having one is.
“We’ve had a defibrillator at Richmond Club for more than five years.’’
To find out more or sign up call Dr Ravi on 0414 267 059.