Community
18 February, 2025
Flinders Shire Council invests in community defibrillators
The council has partnered with the Queensland Ambulance Service to roll out the AEDs.
Flinders Shire Council, in partnership with the Queensland Ambulance Service, has installed new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in key public locations, further strengthening life-saving capabilities in the region.
The latest AEDs have been placed at the Diggers Entertainment Centre, Hughenden Caravan Park, Hughenden Centre for the Aged, and Torrens Creek Pub, adding to the existing devices at the Flinders Shire Library, Community Gym, and Prairie Pub.
Mayor Kate Peddle welcomed the initiative.
“After losing my father to a sudden heart attack in 2011, I have come to truly understand the critical importance of having defibrillators readily available. While CPR was our only option at the time, a defibrillator could have been the difference between life and death,” she said.
“I am grateful to our council for recognising the life-saving potential of these devices.
“Though I hope they are never needed, their presence could save lives, including potentially your own. I also encourage everyone to refresh their first-aid skills; it’s never too late to learn and make a difference.”
Hughenden’s officer-in-charge Kate Verkroost said the local ambulance committee was offering free training sessions for community members wanting to learn or refresh their life-saving skills.