Queensland’s Jewish community has taken delivery of five new life saving CardiacScience G5 defibrillators for use at its synagogues and Brisbane’s Gan Gani Kindergarten, thanks to the generosity of the Pelerman Foundation and coordination by the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies (QJBD) and welfare body JCareQld.
“The first 10 minutes can be the difference between surviving a major cardiac event and not, so now we have a defibrillator at hand we can be prepared,” Professor Abramson said.The project to install the defibrillators was initiated by Professor David Abramson, from the South Brisbane Hebrew Congregation, who said the units would be invaluable if there was an incident at one of the community’s key venues.
In addition to generous support from the Pelerman Foundation, received through welfare organisation JCareQld, each organisation matched the funding to cover the costs of the units.
Organisations that now have new defibrillators include Gan Gani Kindergarten, Brisbane Chevra Kadisha, Temple Shalom Gold Coast, South Brisbane Hebrew Congregation and the Gold Coast Hebrew Congregation.
QJBD President, Paul Myers, gratefully acknowledged those organisations that accepted the opportunity to purchase a defibrillator and thanked Real First Aid who provided a significant discount.
“This is a great example of how the Jewish community in South East Queensland can work together towards a common goal,” Myers said.
“Our synagogue facilities are used for services and a wide variety of functions, attended by many members of the community and Gan Gani is a key source of Jewish education in our community. We genuinely hope these defibrillators won’t need to be used, but having them there is a great comfort.”
The defibrillator units can be used by anyone, regardless of training. The unit gives clear instructions on what to do, and only delivers a shock if required.