Life-saving help will be close at hand

1000 caravan parks to receive defibrillators

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AN estimated 1000 caravan parks around the nation are set to be equipped with life-saving defibrillators, courtesy of the Federal Government.

It has partnered with the Caravan Industry Association of Australia and will spend $1 million on the initiative.

The association will manage the implementation of the program on a 50:50 basis, with caravan parks ‒ which attract over 11 million Australians annually ‒ contributing half the cost of each defibrillator.

The industry's peak body will work with caravan parks to ensure a speedy rollout of the program as funding will be only be available this financial year.

Association chief executive Stuart Lamont welcomed the plan as "an exciting and yet common-sense initiative" that will put the best technology into holiday locations across the nation.

"Caravan parks are popular holiday destinations – particularly with senior Australians who are at an increased risk of heart attack," he said.

"We also know that in rural and regional areas it can take longer for an ambulance to arrive, given the distances they sometimes have to travel.

"This program will ensure that if a person suffers a heart attack in a caravan park that lifesaving help is close to hand."

Health Minister Greg Hunt said heading off to regional Australia on a caravan and camping trip would become much safer.

"Research shows that if a person is defibrillated within the first five minutes of collapse, their chance of survival is around 90 percent," he explained.

"For every minute that this is delayed, the chances of survival decrease by up to 10 percent.

"This initiative will save and protect lives."

Regional Services Minister Bridget McKenzie said the investment would make Australians wanting to get out into the regions to explore the natural beauty feel safer knowing that medical help was not far away.

"We know that more and more Australians are visiting our regions and by increasing their attractiveness to domestic and especially international visitors with better medical amenities, it will help grow regional economies.

"With 44 cents of every tourist dollar spent in regional areas and the industry providing eight percent of employment in the regions, it makes smart economic sense as well as medical."