Two new community-accessible defibrillators are now in place the Upper Yarra thanks to the Bendigo Community Banks Warburton and Yarra Junction as part of their commitment to provide up to five annually.
The Yarra Valley Bee Group applied under the Inaugural Community Defib program and were successful, with their new defib now at Yarra Valley ECOSS in Wesburn for the whole community and Yarra Valley Bee
Group to access.
“The Defib has been installed in a central location outside Tonantzin Chocolate at ECOSS, and proved its worth the day after its installation when it was almost used in an emergency,
just prior to paramedics arriving. While we hope never to have to use this life saving tool, it’s reassuring to know it’s there just in case, said Lyn Williams from the Yarra Valley Bee Group.
“We would like to thank and acknowledge the support of Upper Yarra Community Enterprise, through the Grant application and for making it all happen, Yarra Valley ECOSS and of course a big shout out to Bendigo Bank for continuing to provide community support for everyone.“
“It feels so good to have this life-saving device available to the community here,” said Executive Officer of Yarra Valley ECOSS Chelsea McNab.
The Warburton Advancement League also applied and was successful, with their new defib located in front of the Warburton IGA.
“A wonderful partnership between Warburton Advancement League, Warburton IGA and the Bendigo Bank (Warburton and Yarra Junction branches) resulting in an additional Community Accessible Defib Unit for our Warburton community,” said Alison Fitzgerald from the Warburton Advancement League.
“We know defibrillators are key to surviving a cardiac arrest and these defibs help keep people safe and save lives. It’s just another way we are having a big impact every day,” said Branch Manager of the Bendigo Bank Community Banks in Warburton and Yarra Junction Kristy Sumner.
It form a new link in the chain of defibrillators in the Upper Yarra, with the Woori Yallock and District Community Bank also having distributed a number of the life-saving devices further down the line in recent times.
