ST JOHN NT
NEWSROOM

Two Central Australian schools will receive lifesaving automatic external defibrillators (AED) from St John NT as part of a Northern Territory Government community benefit fund grant.

Centralian Middle School in Gillen and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College in Sadadeen will receive the brand new units on Friday 7 May.

“We have children and staff with underlying medical conditions such as Rhuematic Heart Disease, and having a defibrillator on campus would give us the ability to save a life if it came down to it.” Julia Pearson from Centralian Middle School stated.

In Australia 33,000 people suffer from a cardiac arrest each year. Contrary to popular belief, sudden cardiac arrest can happen at any age, and without a defibrillation, less than 5% of sufferers will survive.

“Paramedics don’t always make it in time for a sudden cardiac emergency, and the use of a defibrillator is very often the difference between life and death” said St John NT Regional Manager Southern Paul Bellman.

“St John NT is dedicated to improving the safety of our community. These AEDs will provide the schools with the peace of mind knowing they will be able to act in an emergency.”

The new St John branded Automated External Defibrillators are simple to use, powerful and give more people the chance to act in an emergency.

St John NT Regional Manager Southern Paul Bellman will present the AED to Centralian Middle School at 10:00am and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College at 2:00pm.

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Media enquiries: Kate Hulls on 0428 157 762 or media@stjohnnt.asn.au

Photo: L-R St John NT Community Educator Ria Mitchell, Student Leader Jawyon Taylor-Hiscox, St John NT Regional Manager Southern Paul Bellman, SAMS Administrator Julia Pearson, Liaison Officer DEnise Casey, Student Leader Meredith Cook, Assistant Principal Simon Rowlands, St John NT Business Development Manager Colin Southam at Centralian Middle School.