Saving lives one heartbeat at a time

*WATCH VIDEO* See how easy it is to use one of new defibrillators installed in Yamba area is

Director of Community Services for Yamba Rotary Gayle Doe with Angourie resident Imelda Jennings putting a new automatic defibrillator at Spooky's Beach.

ANGOURIE resident Imelda Jennings placed a new 24-hour defibrillator in its new home at Spooky's Beach, and was happy that residents were now able to better help people on the area's remote beaches.

"We've got these surf beaches which often are remote, so if we can do this ourselves it gives us a better advantage," she said.

The defibrillator was purchased by the Yamba Rotary Club, and was the tenth they had installed, bringing the total to 37 in the area.

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Yamba Rotary director of community services Gayle Doe, who spearheaded the project four years ago, said they been able to better identify where the defibrillators were in the town.

"Many of them are locked up in businesses … and these ones are 24 hours a day which is a bonus," she said.

"We've installed signage that shows were they are so they can be used.

"The one we've installed in Coldstream has been used three times - twice it said it didn't need to shock, but we've had one taken down to the beach and used," she said.

The new unit was sourced through local paramedic Adam Jarrett and his business Resqmed, who gave a demonstration to the small group of locals who came out to see the defibrillator installed.

"The hardest thing to do with (the defibrillator), the second hardest thing is todo what you're told," he said.

Mr Jarrett demonstrated the automatic defibrillator (see video), and emphasised the advantage the machine gave to a person giving correct compressions.

"If used in conjunction with correct compressions, (the defibrillator) will increase the chances of them living by four times," he said.

Ms Doe said that Rotary had plans to install more defibrillators in the area, including one half way down the Yamba Rockwall near the T-piece.

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