Six new defibrillators, donated by local company JRZ Homes, will be placed in easily accessible spaces throughout the region to potentially help save lives.
A defibrillator is a device that uses an electric charge or current to restore a normal heartbeat if the heart rhythm stops due to sudden cardiac arrest.
Owner of JRZ Homes Jesse Zielke donated the life-saving machines to Bundaberg Regional Council after attending an information session about Australian ironman legend Guy Leech’s Defib Hero Community Program.
In 2022 Council partnered with Guy to help roll out the program which involves activating the community to not only gain access to a defib, but the necessary skills and confidence to use a defib in an emergency.
Jesse said he was moved by Guy’s presentation and was spurred into action to provide more defibs to assist the community.
“It was the presentation that really made me want to take action,” he said.
“Hearing about the high survival rate when using a defib was really interesting, it shocked me how it compared to CPR.
“I thought, wow I want one of them around if it ever happens to me.”
Each year in Australia approximately 25,000 people have a cardiac arrest out of hospital, and it’s estimated as few as 5% of these people survive to leave hospital and go home.
Individuals who experience a cardiac arrest have a 70 per cent survival rate if a defibrillator is administered within the first three minutes, compared to just 10 per cent survival rate without one.
Survival rates decline by 10 per cent every minute a defib is not applied after that first three minutes.
Jesse said the donation was his way of giving back to the community.
“You could need one of these machines at any time and the fact they can be accessed 24/7 and in popular community areas means they can potentially save a life,” he said.
“We even have them on all of our job sites because you just never know.”
Mayor thanks JRZ Homes for donation
Bundaberg Region Mayor Helen Blackburn thanked JRZ Homes’ donation, highlighting the importance of having defibrillators accessible in the community.
“Having defibrillators strategically placed throughout our region can mean the difference between life and death in critical moments,” the Mayor said.
“We are incredibly thankful for the generosity of Jesse and JRZ Homes, it’s another example of the spirit of unity and care that defines our community.”
The six donated defibrillators will be located at:
- Bundaberg Recreational Precinct – exterior of Main Pavilion
- Hinkler Hall of Aviation – exterior of building
- Bargara Turtle Park – exterior of toilet amenities
- Theodolite Creek Park Grounds (Woodgate) – exterior of toilet amenities
- Burnett Heads Boat Ramp Area – exterior of toilet amenities
- Woongarra Scenic Drive Rotunda at Innes Park North
Local residents are encouraged to download the free Defib Hero app as part of the Guy Leech program to not only locate their closest defibrillator but also undertake the free, 20-minute training to understand how to use and administer a defib and CPR in the event they are a bystander of a cardiac emergency.
Download the Defib Hero App either through the Apple or Google Play Store.
Visit the project page to stay informed at Bundaberg Defib Hero Community Activation Program | Our Bundaberg Region.
I’ve never seen any of these anywhere in Bundaberg. When I was in Europe a few years back they were almost everywhere.