New defib breathes life into lancefield romsey little athletics centre

Lancefield Romsey Little Athletics Centre is set to take its game up a notch when it comes to dealing with an emergency on and off the park with a new defibrillator and training package from the Andrews Labor Government.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas, today announced that Lancefield Romsey Little Athletics Centre was one of 301 successful applicants across the state to receive the package from the third round of the new Defibrillators for Sporting Clubs and Facilities Program.

Macedon Junior Football Netball Club were also successful in their application for a new defibrillator at J.D Clifford Oval.

The Andrews Labor Government is getting on with the roll out of over 1,000 life-saving defibrillators to clubs and facilities Victoria.

Defibrillators at local sports clubs like Lancefield Romsey Little Athletics Centre keep players safe, spectators protected, and are a vital tool for the community.

In a life threatening sudden cardiac arrest – every second counts, and bystanders play a critical role.

Without a defibrillator close by, the survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest is somewhere between two and five per cent. When a defibrillator is used within the first few minutes, the rate of survival can rise to 70 per cent.

The use of public defibrillators for cardiac arrests has soared four-fold from 2.8 per cent in 2006/07 to 11 per cent in 2015/16.

The new devices will appear on Ambulance Victoria’s database, so that triple zero operators will be able to direct callers to the new devices available when emergency strikes.

For more information about the Defibrillators for Sporting Clubs and Facilities Program or how to apply online for future rounds, visit www.sport.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to the Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas
"In the Macedon Ranges we are proud of local sports clubs like Lancefield Romsey Little Athletics Centre and their efforts to make their environment more safe and enjoyable for all."

"This funding will help more clubs acquire the right equipment and training they need in case an emergency strikes."

Quote attributable to the Minister for Sport, John Eren
"My cardiac arrest changed my life. I know only too well just how important it is to have a defibrillator nearby."