Four defibrillators will be placed in various locations in Hyden and four will be located in Kondinin.

The move for the local sub-centre to generously donate these machines comes after several people in the community suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, raising awareness of the need to have lifesaving equipment such as AEDs located in common public areas.

This move has been praised by Kondinin chief executive Peter Webster who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at a Perth shopping centre last year and a nearby automated external defibrillator was used to help save his life.

This investment will empower people living in and around Hyden and Kondinin, that in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, someone can do something by responding with an AED which could possibly save that person’s life.

St John Ambulance WA is encouraging the community to attend the free presentation and public demonstration at the Hyden IGA at 10am and the Kondinin Community Resource Centre at 2pm on Wednesday, February 8.

At the demonstration, SJAWA will talk about symptoms and signs of a sudden cardiac arrest and show the public how to respond using an AED (which is very easy to use even without any knowledge on first aid training).

As part of this generous donation to the community, all AEDs will be registered under the St John Ambulance WA First Responder Program.

This means that if a triple zero call is received by SJAWA indicating that a patient is suffering a cardiac arrest near one of the eight locations registered across Hyden and Kondinin, key words will trigger an alert to show that a First Responder is nearby.

An ambulance is then dispatched and the nearby First Responder is contacted prompting them to attend the incident.

First Responders provide vital first aid and use an AED if required while the ambulance is on its way.