A NEW life-saving defibrillator at the Dromana fire brigade was deployed within hours of it being set-up but ultimately not used to save a man who was pulled from the water at Dromana beach.
The unit, installed at the front of the station in the middle of December, was accessed by members after a man suffered a seizure in the water, across the road from the fire station.
Brigade members, along with paramedics, and Fire Rescue Victoria immediately responded to the call for help after beachgoers rushed to the man’s aid.
Dromana fire brigade’s third lieutenant Jason Fevola said the man had been walking along the beach with his wife before he went for a quick swim. “She turned her back for a minute or two; he had the seizure, and was underwater,” he said.
After passers-by raised the alarm, emergency crews pulled the man, believed to be in his 60s, from the water and administered first aid for about 30 to 40 minutes. This included clearing his airway and putting him on oxygen before he was taken to hospital.
Fevola said about three to four days later the man was “up and about” as he walked past the Dromana fire station to thank the brigade members. While the defibrillator was not needed nor CPR performed in this instance, Fevola said the incident highlighted the importance defibrillators can play in saving lives, especially where cardiac arrest was a concern and in any life-threatening situations. “It’s actually hooked up to our alarm system, so if someone opens the case they’ll be able to have it readily available and can access it anytime – they don’t have to wait for us,” he said.
“The brigade is always looking for ways to better service the community and having a spare defib just made sense to install it at the front of the station.”
First published in the Mornington News – 7 January 2024
